DarthEbriate

Well... this is where the fun begins.

No review. All the breaks going the Sabres way. Kindly take advantage, gents.

Refs called Crosby? Now, we have to take advantage of this and win this game.

Power needs to hold that another split second for the screen to actually get there.

Benson just deftly negated a centering pass for a goal and it led to a good Sabres chance. So calm and one of the best along the boards already.

He's got to feel unlucky at this point. Hit posts, no goals in 10 games. But he's got to shoot that.

The Clone of Lukkonen strikes!

Of course, from the ref's perspective, the Sabres PP is just as willing to give up a PK chance as to get a goal.

I... um... I'll take it! Let's go PP!

Good kill.

Joker was just holding him up. Didn't want him to fall over.

Get it to Quinn sooner. Let him make the goalie sweat.

At home. Sid on your team. A very solid coach in Sullivan working them for the interference call. Against a trainwreck organization. You betcha the refs are going to be carrying some quick whistles this period.

So... will the Pens turn up the pressure another notch this period? Or will the Sabres start skating?

It's OK. Lemieux would like garbage on this season's Sabres squad, too.

Agreed. Contact with the noggin/mask weighs pretty heavily these days though. At least for the goalie.

Please use the intermission to wake up, gents!

Wow. You can win challenges.

I was about to say Pittsburgh was absolutely controlling play whenever the Mitts line isn't on the ice, but then the Mitts line loses a faceoff and... another challenge? That's a hit to the head on UPL.

Yes. In one of the first few games of the season he failed to do so, got knocked off his skates, and the Sabres line change turned into an oddman rush goal. He's not making that mistake anymore.

Linesman should've caught that live. Crosby was offside by 2 feet.

Stupid Crosby. (And Power, where were you going, buddy?)

Nice work on the boards by each of the forwards Greenway, Mitts, and Benson. Each one won a board battle. Too bad for the bounce at the blue line or it could've gone from good shift to great.

McCarthy could also someday be a bottom pairing D. Still years away, but is playing as an 18 year-old for Boston U.

Not to think too much about Wenatchee, but they're a brand new transplanted team, with a great roster and currently in 2nd place in the western division. So while their 2 best forwards are off at the WJCs (Geekie and Savoie).... they trade them both. Classic case of they didn't want to be there? You'd rather be at the WJCs? Seems like they could have gone for a championship this inaugural season if they had wanted. The Western Conference was much weaker this season with the T-Birds disbanded. Anyhoo -- here's the haul that the Wild picked up in the combined trades: Out - Geekie, Savoie In - Josh Fluker ('06), Maddix Mccagherty ('06), Sam Ward ('05), 2024 1st, 2024 3rd 2025 1st, 2025 2nd, 2025 8th 2026 1st, 2026 2nd 2027 1st, 2027 4th, 2027 7th