Sommet's the home where the Buffalo roam...

Readership,

First, as I mentioned via tweeting...the intro video, for those of you who think it's the cat's meow regardless of the fact that it's too long and kinda boring (I'm partial to the Rob Zombie energy they knocked out of the intro videos 2 years ago).  Sounds a bit like most of the thoughts on tonight's game, actually.

You know by now what has occurred at home ice - the Buffalo Sabres, lead by Lindy Ruff, a coach that shares more than one or two similarities with our Barry Trotz, came to our home to defeat us with 3 minutes left, 1 to 0.  You read that right...I don't want to surprise you in any form or fashion, a team that plays pretty much EXACTLY like we do...beat us...one...to zero...after FIFTY-SEVEN MINUTES.  Didn't want that fact to pass by you in any form or fashion.

Somehow, whether it be due to the DEFENSE (Hate to say it, but Weber was on the line that was scored on) or the OFFENSE (Legrat? Ewand?), 41 shots hit Pekka Rinne and 1 (one) bounced off and back past him.  25 hit Ryan Miller, and a vulcanized "Your Mama" rarely ever hit net.  That's the gist of it; that's all she wrote.  That's the only story worth while here:  Our D let up once, our O never really showed up once.  The Tennessean pretty much wrote the story before it began: both coaches play from the same book, both teams play the same game.

Other than that, Laakso played well despite the one penalty, Grant didn't take a penalty this time, so he's still here, Bouillon was fast as fast can be (keep it up, #51!) and Santorelli was showing his senior line how to perform like we generally think they should.

I will say this though:  Buffalo has fans who come out of the woodwork this side of Detroit; and (not that this has anything to do with Buffalo or their fans) regardless of the support Rippy's has shown over the years, Jack's BBQ also has it's share of hockey fans and has better BBQ hands down!  Seriously, the service that myself and others have had at Rippy's, as well as the food, has been sub-par at best.  Jack's quality of food is immaculate (I call their BBQ "swine angel" and #22 apparently skips practice to "nom-nom" there [or so the owner informed me when he saw my Pred-gothic shirt]).  No, they're not a sports bar first, they're a BBQ establishment first...and that's what they do best.  With 5+ unique sauces to choose from, the buffet-style BBQ+sides line makes this THE place to go before games.  Drink various booze afterwards, eat Jack's goodness beforehand.  I say this after going there for the first time last week...I've been there 3 more times since....and I take my BBQ seriously (seriously, folks.  "Zanon" seriously).

The GNASH high school seniors played after the game, but sadly, I cannot tell you who won.  My roommate brought a friend with him to 107 (thank you again to the Preds folks that came to the Social Media Club Nashville meeting), and waiting around Sommet for half an hour didn't seem feasible for a fairly new Pred fan (little did we know he was a full-fledged PredWing, but hey...we're not all perfect).  If you stayed, how did it go?  How does a "senior" game work anyhow, if they're all from different high schools? I'm curious, and will most likely stay after a game when it is one high school team versus another.

Lastly, what happened to the Lords of Apocalyptic Carnage in the city league? I don't see them on any of the league lists!  That bothers me because their name alone is what brought me out to the Sportsplex on a Monday at nearly 11PM in the first place.

Cheers.