I've been morose about how the Sabres have been playing, and I'm thinking I jumped the gun a little bit. They're moving up in the power rankings with every passing week, and more than one of us have duly noted that the Senators came out of the gate this season very much like the Sabres did last year. We all remember how that turned out.

Eleven years after the old Jumbotron came crashing down after a Buffalo-Boston pre-game practice, the new high-definition unit is unbelievable. Every play is crystal clear, and it the replays are that much better with that kind of resolution. When I was home a couple weeks ago, my best Buffalo pal, Jason, and I watched the Habs get beat while drinking Blue on tap. It doesn't get better than that.

It was a near shutout last week against the Hurricanes, and unfortunately I was at the Panthers-Capitals game instead of at home watching the Sabres massacre the former Stanley Cup champions 8-1. The only thing keeping me awake at the Panthers game was the freezing temperature in the BankAtlantic Center and Alexander Ovechkin's penalties. But I'm not too upset about missing the near-shutout: The current Stanley Cup champs are on deck tomorrow night, and the tides are turning...