TEAOTAS returns for the preseason.

Tamara and I actually attended the Leafs game together too, but since I made a video for that game I figured it was unnecessary for the TEAOTAS post. So for the first time this season, TEAOTAS has returned! I know you're all excited to hear about our stupidawesome adventures throughout this season as we go to games. We sat fairly close at the game yesterday and neither of us brought our cameras. Can you say epic fail? Ah well, I'm dangerous with a camera to begin with and sitting up close would have been more of a disaster if I had it on me. Tamara and I apparently were on the Flyers feed at one point if you were watching online or on the NHL Network, and were seen talking. Honest to God, that's not different from how we usually are during games anyways.

The Flyers got off to a quick 2-0 start and the annoying Flyers fans that were sitting near us caused a ruckus. Then that's when the onslaught began with eight straight goals. I was hoping for ten, but I GUESS nine is okay. :P It was a good way to end the preseason with a huge win like that, but as Flyers fans would probably say 'YOU BEAT OUR B-TEAM!!!111' That's your B-Team? They need some work. Better get on that, Phantoms.

Can we talk about Drew Stafford for a minute? You already have? I'm going to talk about him again anyways. I'm talking about the goal. You know what I'm talking about. As soon as the puck went into the net, I turned to Tamara and went 'that was an Ovechkin goal'. There's no video of it online as of yet, but it reminds me of the goal he scored against the Leafs two seasons ago. I stand by my statement that I said on Twitter that the guy is going to get 35+ goals this season. Not good in a contract year? I don't care, the guy deserves a good season and everyone to get off his back. He also got the first star which we were happy to see. :) Aww, Drewseph.

It's weird to think that the real season starts on Thursday for the league. It's about time, to be honest. I just wonder how the boys are going to come out against Ottawa on Friday...we shall see, won't we?

As an end to this post, I am leaving you with the new Ryan Miller ad. If you haven't seen it yet, please do. There's something about the frustration in his eyes when Don LeGreca says over the commercial 'but do you think they can be a Stanley Cup contender?' It speaks for this city, those eyes. Enjoy.

We Sabres fans thought that Vanek contract was bad.

Tamara is always awesome with informing me with hockey news, especially because of me working now often. I work through all the exciting stuff to happen. So she texted me and when I got out of work, I learned that Ilya Kovalchuk had signed with...

New Jersey.

For real? Okay, so I had a feeling that he might pull this sort of stunt to screw with our heads. Keep sitting on his hands until the RIGHT deal came up and it was with the same team he was on at the end of the season. I just never thought it would go through like that. So I thought to myself 'Okay Ilya, you're the ultimate douche and I hope the system kills your playing ability' etc. etc.

This was before I heard what the contract was. Seventeen years at nearly $150 million. I have no idea what the cap hit is per year, but to put it bluntly, holy shit. What happened to the salary cap? Could the NHL possibly go into a lockout mode sooner than they expected, again? This is ridiculous. I saw on Twitter the other day that maybe each team should have a maximum number of years they can sign a guy. I mean, who really thinks Ilya is going to play for seventeen more years? Anyone? He upped my shock face from when the Blackhawks signed Marian Hossa to that fifteen year contract last summer. I wasn't that surprised when Ovie was signed to a thirteen year deal though...

And Sabres fans were afraid of that Vanek contract. Some people still are. It makes me wonder if that was the contract that started everything. I hope not.

Does this mean Raffi Torres will get a hat trick?

I really love the first week after trade deadline day for many different reasons. Usually it seems the new guys have a ton of pressure on them and fans of a team wonder 'what can this guy do? Is he going to perform well or poorly? What can he do for this team?' Some of the new guys can go right out there and score goal or maybe even two. Steve Bernier did that his first game playing for Buffalo. Scott Walker scored twice last night for the Capitals. Even Clarke scored for Atlanta last night against the Islanders (with Max getting an assist no doubt!). I'm not expecting Raffi to score a goal, but I want to see his presence on the ice. I want to see him make a hit or two; get a little chippy. If he can do any of those things, I will be extremely happy.

What this team needs is someone to give them a little spark, and Raffi seems to be the guy to do it, if anything. Hopefully his physical game will cause other guys to want to go and do the same thing. The Sabres need to get back into the groove that helped them win games in the beginning of the season. I hope Raffi Torres can be the one that helps bring that swagger back.

Postgame: 12-9-09

Ryan Miller got a shutout. Thomas Vanek was a presence on the ice, even though he didn't get any points. Nathan Gerbe scored his first NHL goal. Overall, a pretty damn good night for the Sabres! I was certain Alex Ovechkin would score in this game only because he always seems to score on the Sabres in every single game he's played against them. Out of all the games he's played in against the Sabres, he hasn't scored in four of them. Simply insane. It seemed every line that was put out against him played well though. I was equally excited when they showed Thomas give him a little bump to knock the puck away. Glad to see he didn't get on the scoresheet.

I had been beginning to miss the wonderful pan shots of Thomas and him spewing the f bomb everywhere. I got my wish tonight. They just always seem to put him on the screen when he's yelling at himself or just in general. Love it.

If the Sabres played like that every game, they would have a good chance to win night in and night out. It was a good response to two pretty bad games on Saturday and Monday. I hope they can do the same against 20 Cent and the Hawks on Friday, since Tamara and I are going to that game. I'm really glad that I've been getting to see a lot more western conference teams than I ever have in person this season. It's a nice change.

'...and den the Aussie go to Portland, NOT ME!'

Our favorite little guy is back as Darcy Regier recalled Nathan Gerbe from the Pirates this morning. Since there has been a lack of scoring the past two games, hopefully Nate would be able to bring some spark to the Sabres tonight against the Capitals, and however long he may be up here. I hope it's awhile and I really hope this stint is better than the one he had last year, where he had one assist in ten games. He's a feisty young one too, so it'll be interesting to see him play against the Caps. I can't remember if he had the chance to play against them last season.

Oh, and apparently Simeon (Semyon) Varlamov has a lower body injury, so he isn't playing tonight. Jose Theodore is. Since Varlamov had a shutout against the Sabres last time, I'm hoping this outcome will be different...

Make sure to watch out for this blog later! Tamara and I have a surprise for everyone. (: Hopefully one you'll like.

The Epic Adventures of Tamara and Shelby: Pre-Game.

Before I start dishing details about how awesome tomorrow is more than likely going to be, let's talk about that game last night! I still don't know what happened in the skirmish depicted in the photograph above, but it gave Goose a five minute penalty that the Sabres managed to kill off. Good job guys!

I think Ovie had a ton of shots on goal as usual but didn't score. It's a miracle. Usually without fail, he will score against the Sabres. This is the preseason but I like it that he didn't score. Maybe they can stop him from doing such in the regular season too? Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease.

Anyways, you know the Sabres won by now. It's all good. Now tomorrow...

Tamara and I are hitting up the red carpet and then the game afterwards. If you're going and spot anyone with makeshift Rivet shirts then that would be us. With our luck he won't play tomorrow, haha. It'll be okay, we can still represent underneath our jerseys!

See you guys there!

Pregame: September 17th 2009.

Can you believe that hockey is finally back? Hockey that doesn't count but hockey nonetheless! The Sabres are back in business tonight as they face the Washington Capitals in about an hour or so. To all you lucky folks who get to go, congrats! I'm not going until next week but I also get to see the red carpet. Bonus!

Alex (actually the both of them) isn't/aren't playing tonight. Sad. I guess I can understand since it's the first game of the preseason and Bruce Boudreau wants to look at the rookies more but I'm sure the both of them are quite antsy to play.

I was so excited to see the lines for tonight though! Not exactly lines per say but power play lines!

Jason Pominville - Tyler Ennis - Thomas Vanek - Tyler Myers - Chris Butler

I think someone loves me. I love all of these guys and all of them on the same unit? Yes, yes, and another yes. I can't wait to hear how they do this evening on the radio.

A guy in my Media Analysis class was sporting his MacArthur jersey today, and I was kicking myself for not wearing my Vanek one. I just hope I get to wear it to classes tomorrow. It's been too long since I wore it after a win around school.

Let's go, Buff-a-lo!

Oh, and by the way, I am so stoked Tyler Ennis was signed to an entry-level contract. He looks like he's going to do amazing things.

Uh...yeah, let's go with that.

It's pretty sad when the guy who got hit by an Alexander Ovechkin shot is one of the best players on the ice for the Sabres during the third period. Real nice, boys. Thanks for being a trooper Thomas, with your limpish body and grimacing the rest of the game when you came back. I hope your wife takes care of that leg for you when you get home tonight.

I don't really have anything else to say about the game. Ovie scored, as usual. My mom got mad at the Sabres and wanted to fire most, if not all of the defensemen. I decided I really, really hate this team sometimes.

Just so you guys know...Puck Over The Glass is on hiatus for about a week ('til January 3rd). I am going on my band trip to Florida starting tomorrow until next Saturday. We're playing during the Citrus Parade in Orlando, and also the Walt Disney Parade on the 29th. I'm going to miss posting here of course, but when I come back, I'll have lots of stories about what went on during my vacation/band trip!

Oh, and I hope I can come back to plenty of wins from the Sabres. Please boys? ):