Jimmy Howard: Still the Future of Red Wings Goaltending

Okay, panicky Sabres fans everyone, the Miller-to-Detroit rumors can now officially cease:

The Buffalo Sabres signed goaltender Ryan Miller on Friday to a five-year contract extension through the 2013-2014 season.

See, I told you he didn't love Lansing - even given its status as a bastion of delicious greasy college-type food, being the point of origin for Biggby [then Beaner's] coffee, Gumby's pizza, and Menna's Joint - as much as you all thought.

Where the heck did hockey go?

I really hate these three day break schedules - especially when I'm at home and without Center Ice. It doesn't help that it feels like I haven't seen the Wings since Monday because I missed Wednesday's game against St. Louis (a second straight win!) to see the Sabres play the Capitals in Buffalo.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures from the Sabres game, during which Alex Ovechkin scored numbers 53 and 54 on the season and the Capitals won 3-1:

The view from our (won off of eBay for an awesomely low price the night before) seats.

My favorite Capital Milan Jurcina, the requisite Alex Ovechkin, and new addition (it was so hard not to boo on principle) Sergei Fedorov - who actually looked better than I've seen him play in a long while. The plethora of Russians, maybe? Oh, there were Sabres there, too?

I also got the chance to meet up with the lovely Katebits from The Willful Caboose at the game which made for an even more fun evening. While I don't have any attachment to the Sabres, the fans were awesome and so was the experience (and the game, since the Caps won!).

Blogging in Enemy Territory (Wings 3, Sabres 2)

Bear with me, this is going to be an odd sort of personal narrative-y recap, but the experience of seeing the Wings in another city was too fun to pass up discussing almost as much as the game.

In a whirlwind of activity that involved a lot of trains, a trip to Toronto to see a Marlies game (they lost, but as they were playing the Stars I got to jeer at Toby Petersen, so I consider it a success) and very very little sleep, I found myself in Buffalo last night at a bar watch the Wings play the Sabres. Convenient, boys - thank you for scheduling that so nicely for me.

I of course wore a Wings shirt and was jeered at on the way in to the bar (packed, as expected), but there were quite a few Wings sweaters as well. I don't know where its owner managed to pick one up so soon, but I also saw a Steve Bernier jersey making its way around the bar. I'd say it was a bit early for that, but considering his performance in his first game, sure. We took our seats at the bar and I endured another good-natured(?) round of booing while indulging in some sort of delicious amber ale microbrew.

Going in to the game I was worried, given the Wings' performance lately, but they apparently wanted to show me that it was, in fact, okay. I missed the last game due to work, so I hadn't seen him back yet, but it delighted me to see Niklas Kronwall warming up. The team seems to be pulling back together so I decided to be optimistic.

My game notes (which I stopped taking after the second period) are as follows:

• I HATE ANDREAS LILJA.
• Oh my god someone chain Dominik Hasek to a post.
• The Buffalo announcers are concerning me. I know Ryan Miller has been a little shaky at times this season...are they trying to feed his ego by saying things like "What a great shot! Nice save!" on things like weak shots right into his chest?
• Was that Dallas Drake who just scored? Seriously?
  
• The drunk guys behind me think that "DETROIT SUCKS" can fit into the same rhythm as "Let's go Buffalo!".
• Okay no, of course it wasn't Dallas Drake.
  
• I miss Nick Lidstrom real bad.
• That WAS Dallas Drake what the hell?
  
• Making fun of the Lions is a universal method of making friends. They still, however, boo when your team scores.
  
• What the heck is Aaron Downey doing on the bench there? Thanks for highlighting us looking like idiots, MSG.
• Oh my god someone SERIOUSLY chain Hasek to a post - actually strike that, it is entertaining when he tries to run people over.
• I LOVE ANDREAS LILJA.
• What's this secondary scoring thing, do we do that now?
  
• No one in this bar likes me very much. (With the exception of a very drunk guy who thinks I should accompany him to a strip club post-game.)

The Wings goal-scorers were Val Filppula, Kirk Maltby, Johan Franzen and (I KNOW) Dallas Drake. There was a marked absence of score sheet domination from the Eurotwins, but it was nice to see other player stepping up.

Overall I was surprised, people were generally friendly (although seriously Buffalo, SERIOUSLY, we don't want Ryan Miller. Seriously. I promise. No less than three people mentioned this to me in the course of the evening.) and post-game we met some nice Sabres fans on the train (via...singing Queen?) and headed to a bar with them (They bought us drinks! I like Buffalo!) where we ran into......the guy who jeered at me on the subway before we got to the bar. I think this should be symbolic or something.

Anyway, Buffalo has good beer and entertaining fans but I have not been converted, though I may make it to the Capitals game on Wednesday. Take that Eastern Conference. (Oh and I still think I hate Andreas Lilja.)

Happy New Year!

I have come down with a horrible cold, and since sitting up is making me dizzy,
I will say only this:


GO PENS

Wow, what a week

I'll admit it: I didn't watch hardly any hockey this week.

Sure, I work two jobs, had a date, and got to see Spiderman 3 (good, but it could have been better. Did we really need a whole dance number?), but that isn't any excuse - there was playoff hockey to be had!

Obviously the hockey gods thought the same thing and have punished me as only the hockey gods can: Ottawa's going to the finals.

Now, I'm not a huge fan of the Senators for several reasons, but they don't have the eons of deep-rooted angst that some other teams bring, so I am willing to look at their play with a slightly more objective eye. I can admit they're good, they were during the regular season, but as I've said before, their play in the post season has been nothing short of inspired. I didn't expect Buffalo to fall, but they went down like every other team that played the Sens in the playoffs have: 4 to 1. Is this a pattern? Have the gods themselves descended from on high to bless the Senators with the Stanley Cup or are they planning to let them make it to the big game and then let them fall to the Ducks (or Wings)? Only time will tell, but I don't think I can deny it any longer: the Ottawa Senators are poised, and looking good, to win the Cup.

What happened to the Senators to spark this remarkable blossoming into a beautiful playoff flower? Great coaching? A superb captain? Solid lines? Rocking goaltending?

No, it was obviously a deal with the hockey devils (not New Jersey).

Word up, bitches.

Hey, if there can be hockey gods, why not hockey devils (not Jersey)? It's obviously the only explanation for Ottawa's breakout, the fact that they have killed off their opponents 4 to 1 every time, and their handsome forwards (I'd add a picture of Fisher in here, who also seems to be blessed with unnatural good looks (and pretty eyes, if you ask Cherry), but I can't find a good picture of him. Check out his Wiki page for some interesting trivia, though. Nsync stickers?). Good-looking forwards are obviously a sign of demonic powers at work (except in Pittsburgh), although it didn't work out so well for Vancouver (sacrifice more goats next time).

How did this happen? How did the poor, naive Senators fall prey to the evil wiles of the Puck of Doom? Is Bryan Murray really an agent of the Rubber Biscuit of Darkness? There were surely shady dealings in the back alleys of Scotiabank, right between the hot dog vendor and the Labatt's stand. The rest of the hockey world can only watch, hoping and praying that the Senators can pull through and redeem themselves, once more to be in favor with the Puck Almighty.

Layeth the holy smackdown in the finals, ye little Senators

Today will be game five for the Ducks and the Wings, and the world will soon know who is going to help lead the Senators on their quest to show their devotion to the Divine Puck. All we can do is watch and take solace in the fact that the team that kicked the crap out of the Penguins is going all the way, quite possibly to hoist that big hunk of silver in a week or so (this is known as Edmonton Logic).

Godspeed, little Senators.

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In actual hockey news, the Ducks and Wings play today at 3pm and I am happy to say that I will be able to watch it. At this point, I want the Ducks to win just so I can make a little hockey puck devil with a duck head on it.

-NHL.com was nice enough to bless us with a trip down memory lane with the peanut butter story. What inspired the writers there to dig out a bit of Penguins' playoff trivia during this run?

-Buffalo fans can be obnoxious (as can we all), but to take one out? Ouch. The hockey devils made them do it (not New Jersey).

-Just a little snippet in the continuing saga of the Penguins ticket prices. The business people in the organization must be thrilled with tickets up 60%. Fans don't mind paying a little more to help support the team and the players, but I just hope they remember the regular people in their price hikes.


Cocky nominations to come later today!

So happy when it's not his fault.

Thanks to the inability of the train I spent 6 pm to 10 pm on to miraculously have cable, and even more miraculously have Versus (the S383 would totally kick its ass, just ask HG), I didn't actually catch any of the Ottawa/Buffalo game tonight. But what I've gathered to be the important thing is that Buffalo stayed alive to fight through at least a Game Five.

And also that Ty freaking Conklin is REALLY DAMN ADORABLE.

Uh. Right. In other news Chris Pronger won't be showing his ugly gap-toothed mug tomorrow evening, as the league handed him a one game suspension. I'm surprised, but happy with the decision. Apparently Pronger was less so. Who would've figured, Prongs bitching about something? I think he's still just mad about the pants. Should've listened, Chris, should've listened.

Whip your Conk out!

"Cocklin" was first discovered and put to use (okay shh I am aware this is full of inaccuracy and exaggeration) by the drunk guys behind me at the Crunch game (where it ranked slightly more clever than Popperle/"Potpourri" and Pushor/"Pushover" and light years beyond Methot/"ME HOT"), but it appears that the magical world of Facebook is now horning in on their creativity with yet another play on words linking Ty Conklin to a particular bit of anatomy. Granted the Facebook group seems just a bit less hateful... I, of course, had to join, and then felt it was also my duty to spread around just how little it takes to amuse me. Especially seeing as how I couldn't come up with anything clever for his March 30th birthday.

Look, he shaved! Just as I was just coming to terms with the scruff and even admitting it wasn't bad looking, ask Elly!

That said, this is the post where I say I hate the Sabres. Or no, I don't even hate them, I just feel nothing toward them. I don't particularly dislike them, but I have no reason to cheer for them either. And they're within mere fractions of points of my Wings' President's Trophy. But okay. You got me. Fine. I love Ty Conklin. And if the damn Sabres take that trophy, like they're poised to do, I'll be content in having won in the West, in having at least smited the stupid Ducks and their stupid Chris Pronger, because I'll be thinking of happy little Ty Conklin getting another chance - maybe - and hopefully not fucking it up. (Although, CapsChick has assured me that she'll be cheering for her boys to pull of a win, so I totally don't need to be worrying, right?)

That said, I still haven't entirely forgiven you Conklin. Don't push my love.

Randomly, why is it that he continues cycling through all my friends' teams? From Skye's Magic Wands - er, Blue Jackets - to Drea's Sabres...what's next, one of 'ly's Pens come this summer? (I'm so lucky she's in Pittsburgh right now, she might literally implode at the thought).

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And while we're on the topic of ex-Oilers, Lauren Pronger ruined our season, did you hear? I mean I've been saying that since the beginning (just ask Elly!) but hey, now I have whole newspapers rallying behind my spiteful little opinion! I think Covered in Oil sums the whole thing up the nicest, but I do feel the need to echo - why on earth is all of this showing up eight months afer the fact like some new brilliant discovery? And sure, we were all pissed too, but I wonder just what's going to come of that beautiful little divorce-advocating quote. Good plan, that one.

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Happier news exists as well today, though - in the form of Pavel Datsyuk signing a shiny new 7 year contract with the Wings. Christy has a collection of reactions, both her own and those of most of the rest of the Wings blogosphere - all I can offer in return is approval of the move and confidence that those floundering playoff years aren't anything to be worried about.

‘’This contract was extremely important to me,'’ Datsyuk said. ‘’Especially since I have been a Red Wing since 2001."

Isn't it nice to have players who want to stay?

The Fast and Furious Sabres

How exactly is it that, considering how well the Sabres have been playing this year, we haven't seen a "We're Gonna Win That Cup - 06" yet? Actually have there been any versions since 1999? This has to be the cheesiest, most ridiculous hockey song yet and I kind of can't believe that hasn't been banked on yet. It was nice to see the Sabres used to have a sense of humor. I mean, this is the same time that at one point also gave us Look Out, Here Comes the French Connection.

Maybe they're considering it bad luck--after all, they've had this song since 1975 and still haven't managed to actually win a cup. That, or they can't figure out a way to work Max's name in and/or pronounce it properly. But still, I tend to think that even Hey Hey Hockeytown has nothing on the dedication the people of Buffalo have, or at least had, to keeping this thing alive.

In the spirit of Christmas, Fa la la la la LaFontaine. It probably beats both of the aforementioned tracks in being amazing. Are they trying to compete with the Columbus Blue Jackets, perhaps?