Playing Like You Want It, Postgame 3-3-11.

It's too bad that this postgame is actually going to be the opposite of what my title says.

The Sabres came out playing well in the first and for the beginning part of the second. There were a lot of Sabres fans in the crowd and I'm sure it made the Sabres feel right at home. There were plenty of hits and some good, missed chances. For instance, Thomas had a great chance that he just missed to put in the net since it went behind Cam Ward and across the crease. There were huge saves at each end of the ice but the first period turned out scoreless. You go to the second period, and Steve Montador scores the first goal of the game. Then the Canes came right back on a horrible, defensive breakdown. Brad Boyes managed to get his second in as many games as a Sabre to make it 2-1 again and then - you guessed it! - the Canes came back after Ryan Miller mishandled the puck and got stuck spun around in his net and facing the other way. If you look at both of those goals, they were terrible reads by Miller himself but the defense gave him no help at all, either. I just wonder how Ryan reacted to this on the postgame...I never listen to the WGR postgame after away games but perhaps I should start to hear what the players have to say. I'm sure it wasn't at all pleasant.

The game unfortunately went to overtime and it wasn't even a minute in when McBain scored the game winner for the Hurricanes. The shot easily went through his pads (five hole) and into the net. People saw my Twitter reaction to that goal...let's just say, that damn five hole needs to stay closed, Ryan. Seriously.

I am significantly less angry than I was as soon as the game had ended just so I could write this blog post with some logic. I realize, you Miller apologists out there that Ryan has played 38 of the Sabres last 39 games. You know how crazy that is? I bet his body is fatigued. It isn't his fault that Lindy is making him play, but maybe he should step up and say 'hey, maybe this is taking a toll on my body. I believe that my backup can win a game or two for us.' ...Or he's a hockey player, and a lot of fans don't believe that they're human in the slightest.

The Leafs won tonight so they're one point behind us, while we are now two points behind the Rangers. Looks like it's time to catch the blue shirts if anything. Also, just read on Alex's Facebook status that Ryan had indeed admitted to playing the puck badly. You sir are starting to realize that you can indeed make mistakes. Hopefully your fans start to realize the same.

Glasscast #3

Glasscast #3 Hurricanes vs. Sabres

The Epic Adventures of Tamara and Shelby: For once, we go to an exciting game.

PotG is back in business after I took a short hiatus with moving and everything. Most of our things are unpacked and I hooked up the internet yesterday (mostly on my own, go me), so here I am!

Tamara and I bought tickets to last night's game following the win against Philly. We grumbled about it because these boys make us spend money when we might not want to, but it's worth it if they end up playing a good game. Now we always seem to pick the games where it's 2-1, 3-2, etc. etc. This was the first exciting game we've been to all season long. It only took the Sabres two periods to wake up, but when Ryan made that one spectacular save, they were ready to go. The crowd was certainly energized last night that's for sure.

During the first intermission, Tamara was able to meet my brothers and one of my sister-in-laws because they were also at the game. It's weird being there with most of my family in attendance as well, but these are one of the only times I'm able to see them. If I have the chance to spot them at a game then I will go see them. Unless I'm in the 100s, then I am not making the walk up there through strings of people, haha.

Some people at games need to learn that you cannot get up and leave until there's a stoppage in the play. So many people were getting up to leave yesterday when there were about three minutes left in the game and kept getting in the way. It was ridiculous. I was about to punch one of them. People are just so stupid.

I am so glad that the schedule for the Sabres is changing up now though I'll probably forget that there's a game on tomorrow until Tamara reminds me about it. I'm too used to this Wednesday-Friday-Saturday thing going on.

Carolina Hurricanes fire Laviolette...is any coach safe in the NHL?

Checking up on the Blogosphere, I learned that Peter Laviolette was fired today and replaced with Paul Maurice, the ex-coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. I was quite surprised considering the Hurricanes won the Cup under him in '06, and even with the fact they missed the playoffs two years in a row, Carolina was still a strong team in a pretty weak division.

That being said, it appears that no matter what your track record is with a team, no coach is safe anymore. That brings us to Lindy's future - now I'm not saying the man should be or will be fired because I love Lindy Ruff. I can't see a Sabres team not being under him, honestly. Since I was seven I've been watching the Sabres under him. I can hardly remember the years before that. But you have to wonder, if the Sabres keep pulling this crap will Lindy stay at the helm? Many other blogs and members of WGR were saying that Lindy basically can't say anything else that he hasn't said already. He's trying to drill into these guys' brains that there needs to be more consistancy, more driving to the net during games, and they have to get ugly goals. It's a grind, as Lindy would like to say.

The last thing I want to see happen to this team is read a report that Lindy Ruff was fired and replaced with some guy I never heard of before, or another guy that was fired previously. Like I said, this more than likely WILL NOT happen for Lindy has a good relationship with the players and the ownership. It's just something that I don't wish to see in the near future.