DarthEbriate

Monterey Jack is all about the melt. You don't put it on your charcuterie board or serve it straight up, but when you melt it and you don't have to worry about stringy globs catching in your mouth or an mess of oil on the top of your dish. It can also blend nicely --- use the cheddar for the kick, use the jack for the smooth melt. Use the mozzarella for the stretch, use the jack for the slack.

A rental F for a rental D? That uses our surplus to our advantage, even if don't include Galchenyuk in any long-term plans. But... as to character... we can't afford anyone to float. We're not talented enough to cover for the one guy who just shows up once in awhile.

The annual tour up to the Vancouver system was another entertaining game. After reading the thread, there's not much to tell. I'm not much more than an interpreter, and not very good at doing game summaries. The Canucks warmed up in their horrid Vs before donning those sweet tilted skates. I heart the tilted skates. Good memories of falling in love with hockey via the Russian Rocket. With the Sabres in white and the Canucks in their skates it was a throwback to a Sabres home game. And it was a fun '80s afternoon. We got Rick-Rolled repeatedly. We had all '80s tunes except for one instance of Arcade Fire. The Canucks Love Boat TV spot was fun. We did the wave for...ever.... And the audience was pleased as punch after the music cut out and we continued to sing along with A-Ha's Take On Me to finish out the chorus. Really young crowd given the start time, some nice homages to their '80s lineup, and overall great energy in the arena. (6 home goals helps) Oh? The game? The first period was super sluggish. Obviously the Sabres were out on the town before the game (as I was after the game) getting some fine, fine sushi and sake. And man oh man, we're even softer in person than we are on TV. You don't have to run people or be useless thugs, you can just finish checks and battle for pucks along the walls. Mitts drew a penalty but his line was targeted by the Canucks' coaching staff. Mitts needs seasoning! He needed seasoning last year and especially after last year. The Sabres got a string of power plays to the fans' ire, but only managed the one nice Golofsson snipe. Every mistake we made (Scandella's whiff, Hutton's save right to the middle of the ice, etc.) ended up in our net. Our goals were solid deflections. What else? Until next season, at Vancouver! Edits: Sooooo many guys tossed from the faceoff dot. I'm surprised the fans didn't start to get on the refs more for that. Helmetless Tanev is one greasy-looking dude. Larscheiders section 325 was having a lot of fun, like a good European hockey game or a Sounders soccer match

I think JAGs are relative to their situation/setup. His career numbers look like a 2nd line winger. 20-25-45 with PP time. That's comparable to Pominville or Okposo or Reinhart who've been our 1st/2nd RWs the last few years. That'd be good for us because we aren't getting that from our 2 RW this year, be it Sobotka or Sheary. But I'm uninformed on the player and that's why I need everyone to sell me on him. Does his game and style work for what we want to do? Could he help Skinner-MoJo become a dynamic 2nd line that can carry the team for a few stretches this year? What I see from stats this year is a guy who needs a change of scenery. For Pitt, Galchenyuk is skating less that 13 minutes a night on a team that's been missing Crosby for a month. He's only taken 4 face-offs this year so he's only a winger. For them, he's JAG.

Is he fast and a solid forechecker for how our team is supposed to play? Does he win puck battles? Does he limit his defensive gaffes so he isn't a liability (hopefully, as he's been in the NHL for 8 years). I don't see anything in his basic career stats that stands out apart from a 30-goal season a few years back. He's a career 45% for faceoffs, so he'd fit right in with us. He averages a hit every other game, so he's as aggressive as the rest of top six. He's JAG that this point, isn't he?

About to make the jump to hyperspace. Should be in Vancouver in oh... 200 hours.

Officially our #1 now. Hutton just getting the second night of back-to-backs the past few weeks. Go Minions! Edit: Or rather, it's alright, we can trust Linus. He's our new master and I'll have no more of this "Oh but Hutton" gibberish. You're lucky Linus doesn't blast you into a million pieces right here.

I have a sudden urge to hang all of my stainless steel kitchen implements... starting with the 1/4 teaspoon, various spoons, ladles, baskets, strainers, saucepans, all the way up to the 4 gallon stock pot. Oh, and throw spoons over my shoulders at them. And go Sabres! It's Saturday somewhere.

Is Skinner the new Moulson? For Sheary's ally is the Skinner. And a powerful ally it is. Lines create it, make it grow. Skinner's energy surrounds them, and binds them. Hockey players are they, not some crude poster. You must feel the Skinner around you. Here. Between you, me, the net, the puck... everywhere! Yes, even between the Internet and the Sabrespace!

And now the House of Mouse owns everything.

Ok, now bring this on the road to Vancouver this weekend so that I may partake in person.

Nice stop, Linus!

As Boss Nass?

Oh agreed, he's winding down, but I'm not looking to re-sign him -- I'm looking an March-June rental for a guy with some serious playoff grit playing for his final contract.

I think he'd fit this lineup pretty well and be a definite upgrade on the wing. And while his spinning-and-shooting-it's-a-good-trick works in the movies, it was pathetic move at young Mitts. Also from this Devils lineup... if we're looking for a rental come playoff time, Simmonds on an expiring contract would be a good pickup for the months of April and beyond. Probably pretty cheap from a resource standpoint too, as their GM would just be happy to shed salary.

We do look good in the home whites.

But my lawn! Kids. Stay off.

Ummm... have you never heard of a little thing called plus/minus?

We're going in, we're going in full throttle.

Johansson means a lot to this team. Vesey continuing to play well and now finishing his chances. And the Leafs Keefe honeymoon can end tomorrow. They’re just as sloppy and flawed as they’ve been all year.

Jimmmmy!

Now, when Toronto tries to dial up the pressure, respond. Do not back down. Counter and put it away. Remember the Death Star!

Home whites look nice.

Great shot, kid.

You will learn patience!