#it's mean and rude for anyone to win a games against the sabres from now on

[andrewuttaro]

New Look Sabres: GM 4 - MTL - Battleships

Montreal doesn’t get any hype in this introduction. You handed the Leafs their first loss of the season on Hockey Night in Canada over the weekend… *golf clap* … good for you. I got no love for you french speaking mother fuckers. Max Domi was a great acquisition last season, really shored up the shitty culture brand y’all are known for. Even with the must-have French name Jonathan Drouin isn’t safe from being chased out of town. Y’all can piss right off. Yeah, this postgame is going to be marked explicit if you didn’t gather that. These two teams have met 7 times in the Stanley Cup playoffs and the first time is where we find our Greatest Game Against brought to you by the Sabres 50th Anniversary season. April 10th, 1973 is the day Buffalo won their first overtime game and defeated the hated Habs 3-2 in Game 5 of the first round series off a Rene Robert goal. If you think I’m going a little too far back for the greatest game between these two teams then please, I invited you to grill me in the comments. What was a more significant game between these two franchises? There are plenty to choose from with the Habs. You’ll get more of them in the next games against the rivals from Montreal. Greatest Game Against will be a reoccurring segment this season as we celebrate 50 Years of our favorite NHL team. This game was bound to be a special teams battle. Both clubs are bottom right quadrant of the special teams graph. Sean Tierney calls that quadrant the fun one. That means both clubs get a lot of quality chances on the powerplay while giving up a lot of quality chances on the penalty kill. That kind of matchup means every time that whistle blows a penalty the game is about to see the most important stat change: the score. Either way this game was to be an early season test against a rival Buffalo is going to have to get ahead of this season to get a wildcard playoff spot come April. The test was as advertise and just like last year: a contentious battle to the very end.

The Buffalo Sabres came out swinging. Right away we got to see the game of special teams battleship unfold. Tomas Tatar got penalized for interference on Jake McCabe and off to the powerplay the home team was. The powerplay was hardly halfway over when Jeff Skinner kept the puck in the zone and passed it to Rasmus Dahlin who sauced it to Jack Eichel who got rid of it immediately across ice to Victor Olofsson who went top shelf to get his fourth goal in four games so far this season. He had some space too and you have to imagine as the other teams in these leagues realize he’s here those easy chances are going to start to disappear. Even after that goal the Sabres continued to exert their will. However now Montreal started stripping the puck more efficiently and pushing back. A tripping call went against Vladimir Sobotka and Buffalo went to another powerplay. This time however it was former Sabre Joel Armia who received the puck from Nate Thompson after a yucky neutral zone turnover. Similar to how Olofsson had scored somehow Armia had the space one-on-one with Hutton and put it in for the shorthanded tally. It was tied at one until Rasmus Dahlin got called for interference later on in the period and Montreal made him pay on their first powerplay. It was credited to Joel Armia again and so this first game of Conor Sheary’s absence feels like his spirit came to inhabit a former Sabre to get more players to score two goals against their former teams. In the first intermission though it didn’t feel like they were trailing as much as it felt like they weren’t leading. I suppose that’s an unimportant difference.

The second period showed just how narrow the difference between these two teams is at the moment. And once again it was special teams doing what we thought might happen. Tomas Tatar returned to the sin bin for slashing and Jack Eichel scored a nasty little dinger on the ensuing powerplay. That Montreal lead felt like it never existed, just the way we like it. It was a bounce back period and Buffalo managed to kill off a Habs powerplay through the midway of the game while guys like Vesey and Ristolainen, who looked a little rough in the first period, picked up their coverage. Then Montreal started to know they were getting pushed and began to fall back from the line on zone entries. Jeff Skinner and Rasmus Dahlin both took advantage of this situation and used it to test Keith Kincaid a lot. One of Dahlin’s shot dinged off a post and out. One of Jeff Skinner’s shots practically went in minus actually going into the net. The visitors were on the backfoot and so Captain Jack retook the lead for his team. He goes unassisted into the zone and shoots it through two and a half defenseman past Kincaid to go up 3-2 and get his second of the period and second of the game. The Sabres got the better of each of the meaningful statistical categories in that middle frame but what mattered would be the full 60 minutes in this important game. Let’s show em we’re a real team this season! Now it was time to see if the third period would be the prospering of or the doom of the New Sabres game-plan.

If the first forty minutes of this game was two battleships slugging it out, the third period was a whole ass, air and naval battle. My father-in-law is a big World War 2 buff. He’d call this the Battle of Midway. There are giant battleships getting blown up and aircraft dogfighting overhead; it’s at a point in the war when nobody knows whose necessarily better or who will win so it’s just brutal combat. This third period was chippy and bloody. It was the beautiful kind of hockey of tight plays and two ends of the ice. It was a track meet in the neutral zone and anyone who couldn’t transition *Cough* Dahlin *Cough* reversed the mad dash back into the other end. But it was less than a minute into the third frame when Jeff Skinner scored a very Jeff Skinner goal. Marcus Johansson strips the puck from the Habs on the blueline and gets it to the streaking Skinner who just does Kincaid dirty. He does a head-fake, he does a deke, he makes you hard cider spill, HE SCORES! Three goals in the first four games, a three-game scoring streak and who needs to be on the top line? Not Jeff Skinner! With that 4-2 goal coming a mere 47 seconds into the third period there was plenty of time left. Montreal didn’t lay down and die. Expect them to stand up and fight at every turn for the rest of the season. The wildcard race in this division is going to be an absolute slobber-knocker. The Habs had some zone time well the intercom was still announcing the Skinner goal and Joel Armia skated behind the net with the puck. He sees Jesperi Kotkaniemi somehow in the open looking at the stubble on Carter Hutton’s face. He gets it and sinks it, 4-3 Sabres still in the lead. Do note Kotkaniemi was picked after NHL Top 5 defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Nonetheless the frantic pace of third period carried on. Armia almost capped off a hat trick with a couple sneaky plays. Kyle Okposo was knocking at the door! Sabres killed a penalty, Habs keep fighting. Max Domi rides two Sabres into the zone like a rude MAGA Santa Claus and almost scores a goal. Philip Danault tries a deke. Victor Mete got a nasty look on the powerplay. The Sabres ended up out-chancing and outshooting the Habs 39-27 but at no point was the game leaning heavily either way. It was downright pandemonium and it didn’t take a powerplay for Ben Chiarot to record his first goal as a Canadien shooting through the woods at 12:54 of the third. Brutal, we’re tied 4-4 and for nine more minutes the chaos continued. Then Danault gets called for slashing Sam Reinhart with 35 seconds left in regulation. Don’t worry, it went to OT.

As much as I wanted to not give up a point to a divisional rival you’ll be fighting for months to come, it felt inevitable even before the last equalizer. That four on three powerplay edge was helpful in the brief overtime period. The Eichel-Reinhart-Johansson-Miller unit was the only one that saw time in the extra frame, and they didn’t really leave their offensive zone at any point. However the powerplay ended before Eichel takes a shot, it bounces off Kincaid and goes to Colin Miller who bounces it right across to Marcus Johansson who is already winding up by the time the puck reaches him. Kincaid wasn’t moving when the puck passed him. Goal. Overtime winner! Sabres win 5-4. The sweaty soldiers can now return home from war. This was not a flawless win. Dahlin was too cute in the neutral zone against a super aggressive Habs side and Vladimir Sobotka was back to his black hole self. But this win is an early season statement that the Buffalo Sabres are a competitive team this season. We’re not going to sit back and fade into the bottom ten again this season… well we hope. This is a message to the middle of this stacked Atlantic Division: we’re not going to be an easy win, especially not at Key Bank Center.

The growth of this team is accelerating. It’s still going to be a process, but you can see the meshing happening. They’re accentuating their positives and downplaying their negatives. That’s maturity slow but surely. Speaking of maturity, this New Look Sabres blog is your place to come and be immature… within reason, don’t be an ass clown. Like this blog, share it with your friend and leave a pugnacious comment. I love a good faith chat about the team I love. If you’re a Habs fan and read this far I think you really should comment. I want to hear your story, especially if you were one of the dozens of Canadiens jerseys in the arena tonight. This was fun, I hope Friday night we have this much fun again. Either way I hope you read again. And hell, if you want to come see my ugly face in person I recommend you come on down to Buffalo Riverworks downtown this Saturday from 5:30-10. It’s Buffalo Pod-a-thon III and if you can’t handle my whole thing, I’m not nearly as intense in person, then there are dozens of other Western New York Sports personalities there. Dinner is included with the price of admission so I think it will be a fun Saturday night! Until then Let’s Go Buffalo! Undefeated in regulation!

Thanks for Reading.

P.S. Lindy Ruff had a wonderful little feature for the 50th anniversary in the second intermission. It made me a little emotional. That guy is a Top Ten Sabre top to bottom no matter what you tell me. He deserved at least one of the three Cups he almost got the Sabres to.

[punknrasslin]

Progress Manchester

Show 4 of a 4 show weekend. We made it! It only took a few days to do these blogs, I’m mighty proud :)

So the final show took us to Manchester for Progress Wrestling. A personal favourite promotion. The day began with a midday trip to Gasworks just around the corner from the O2 Ritz venue. For those like myself looking for a vegan/veggie meal, try the Red Lentil shepherds pie. You won’t go far wrong! £7 too with a Diet Coke.

To the venue we trot then! Ritz is a historic venue located conveniently next door to a Sainsbury’s & just across the road from Gorilla & Dog Bowl (the bar that’s also a bowling alley!) I will say that despite this being an O2 venue they do not accept O2 Priority offers (it does state that in the small print). Still opted for a nice pint of Sommersby Cider. Merch wise today, new progrsss design released & thought with New Orleans on the horizon it’d be rude not to! Also took a liking to the new Brookes CCK shirt (it has bright colours & Brookes as a zombie. What’s not to like?!)

Onto the matches then. First up, Drew Parker taking on Spike ‘Waistcoat w@nker’ Trivet. Not a bad match, 2 good competitors. Added bonus of this being a Natural Progression Series qualifier. Spike progressing to the next round.

Match number 2, women’s tag team action. In one corner, Jinny & her tag partner Shikara. In the opposite corner, Progress women’s champion & own personal fave Toni Storm teaming with Charli Morgan. 4 great female wrestlers I rate highly. Match itself went well, few high spots & eye opening moments. The ending will be the thing most remembered though.. Charli Morgan heel turn. Interesting.

Next up, my Attack Pro Wrestling faves Flash Morgan Webster taking on my old pal Mark Andrews. Yay another singalong to House That’s Not Quite Home (what do you mean it’s not a good idea to start a singalong at the bar on your own? Pfft). Match itself I was into of course, as expected lots of high flying style. Flips & kicks. Not really much atmosphere here though crowd seemed rather tired. Shame. But I did really enjoy the match, could’ve been better though! Interesting this also kept up with the Webster/Haskins confusing storyline when Mrs Haskins steals Flash’s helmet to distract Andrews for a Flash win. Eh?! Yep I was mixed up too!

Into the first half main then. Tyler Bate. Zack Sabre JNR. All of the awesome!!!! Oh progrsss you spoil us fans! The hype was high for this one, rightly so. First time I’ve seen this happen live, believe it’s happened in the states & once over in the UK? Correct me if I’m wrong. Anyway, back to reviewing and this met all expectations & more. Lots of near falls. Much flipping & jumping. Kicks, finisher kick outs.. Beautiful stuff! Anyone ever asks you show me British Wrestling at its finest you wouldn’t go far wrong to point them at this match. Two athletes in there prime.

Half time (phew I need it after all that graps), quick hello & hi5 from Mark Andrews & a lot of catch ups with friends. Side note here- Progress is more than Wrestling. The fans are so welcoming & considering I’ve only known some of these people since going regularly, friendly as you could hope for. It’s like a community spirit.

Second half then, what’s this? Jack Sexsmith? He isn’t booked is he? Nope, he’s here to announce he’s cashing in his title opportunity at the Victoria Warehouse Manchester show in May. We 💜 you Jack we’ll be cheering you on!!!!!

First match of this half sees Pete Dunne & Trent Seven facing David Starr, the man of many nicknames, & The Bro Mat Riddle. Four amazing wrestlers. This could be one to remember & it was. Lots of quick tags & one or two strong strikes. Considering they don’t team often if ever, unlike their opponents, Starr/Riddle worked well. A good match I’ll be sure to check out again on Demand Progress.

Let’s move on then. Walter vs Mark Davies. The true definition of big lads wrestling. Walter of course has already had a contender for MOTY with Timothy Thatcher in January but here’s another. Oh Walter, you really are a gem in the ring!! Another case here of chops game is strong and stingy (you can keep your strong & stable UK government). Every second of this I loved. Every hard hitting punch & kick. Please. If you get a chance to see this back, do it! It really is wrestling in its purest form.

Time for match number 7 now, Tag Titles on the line, defending champs Grizzled Young Veterans squaring off against the baffling yet surprisingly workable paring of Havok & Haskins. Match itself was fair, but maybe that was my coming down from Walter/Davies! Don’t get Haskins as heel at all but Progress have made it work & look good with the added Vicky Haskins element. We get a good match overall though here & the shocking twist of Flash Morgan Webster emerging to reclaim his property Vicky stole earlier in the evening just in time to distract Gibson & cost GYV the belts. A Haskins/Haskins/Havok/Webster collaboration in the works?

Main event is here then. Triple threat title action between Chris Brookes, TK Cooper & Progress Champion Travis Banks. Three similar styles here, this can either work really well or not. In this case it works on many levels. Fantastic match with beautiful story telling throughout. Those who don’t see Brookes as a worthy contender for a main event slot, watch this match it will change your mind. He’s ready for the spots he’s getting! TK too putting up a fight for Travis’ title. Really enjoyed the terminator chair spot with TK & Trav! A successful totle defence in the end though, and the evening ends with TK turning full dickhead heel on Brookes. BOO! #BestBoys

So that was my weekend. Eventful, jam packed & downright ruddy amazing. Great company, old & new friends. And graps! Shout out to Wetherspoons for fuling my vegan needs these trips!

Hope all have had a good week so far & since it’s February 14, Happy Valentines 💕

Jx

Blog soundtracked by.. Touché Amore