From Buffalowins.com »

1st period thoughts:

• Couldn't ask for a better start for the Sabres. Two goals in three minutes.
• Vanek team MVP so far? Yes, I think so. He's making it look easy.
• Patrick Kaleta is playing pissed off right now. Frankly, I didn't really notice him at the start of the season, but he's been all over the ice over the last two games. I wonder if his slow start had anything to do with the NHL cracking down on head shots? Maybe he didn't want to be as aggressive because he was scared he'd get penalized. Maybe he figured out that if he doesn't play like he normally does, he's going to be kind of worthless. Anyways, #36 is hitting everything that moves and is providing the Sabres with a ton of toughness.
• Seriously, it seems like whenever Matt Ellis makes his yearly mid/early season debut, he always makes a play. On the Brad Boyes goal, he was behind the Bolts net and was fighting to dig up the puck, and then centered it to #22. It was your typical Matt Ellis shift. Of course, after 5 more games, I'll grow bored of him. Sorry, I'm not in the cult following for the guy :P
• Do you believe in Miracles? Yesssssssss. (Oh, Brad Boyes scored. Just goto the net, dude.)
• Whatever happened to the instigator rule? That clown, Downie, made a b-line towards Kaleta and wouldn't take no for a fighting answer. Plus, the Sabres were on a 3 on 2 break. Lame-o. I use to like it when Kaleta wouldn't drop the gloves in order to draw a penalty. However, he'd be killed a pu#$y when he did that.
• WTF was Luke Adam doing on that first goal? Lecavalier had two straight shots and Adam just sat there with a deer in a headlights look.
• Ville Leino will never be confused with a Selke Award winning center.
• The two goals let in on this period were on #23 and #57. You see, I don't always have to blame Miller.
• Memo to Mike Milbury: Who finds the visor topic to be interesting? Not me. You are trying to sell this game to the casual fan. Visors are not fun or interesting.
• Score: 2-2.

2nd period thoughts:

• That Robyn Regehr is a one nasty fellow. He destroyed Vincent Lecavalier on a classic hip check.
• I know I'm not a huge Ryan Miller guy, but I don't understand why Lindy can't stick with his goalie rotation. All the talk about lighting his workload and tonight, #30 didn't look sharp. I don't understand why Lindy can't let Miller rest like he always says in the offseason. It is as if Lindy looks for any excuse to play the guy. "Hey! Three years ago on this date, Miller allowed only one goal..or, I saw a Miller Lite can next to my car today. Coincidence? No way, it's a sign!" OK, I'm going overboard. Yes, he puts on a nice showing once every 5 games or so, but the talent on this team should beat a number of hockey teams without Miller. This isn't 2009 when it comes to talent. Anyways, that 3rd goal was on him, and I'm going out of my way to say that I wish Lindy would follow a goalie rotation. 
• How was that not a penalty shot on Vanek? He was clear on the Tampa goalie and got hooked. Oh, how I love a league where visors can be a intermission topic!
• Why does the F'N Center and for that matter, Sabres fans, have awful taste in music? Sorry, but I see the tweet suggestions and I don't get them.
• I do not approve of the way the blueline is playing tonight. First, they can't get shots on goal (Paging Alexei Zhitnik). Second, they are getting worked off the puck.
• Maybe Paul Hamilton is right. Derek Roy may need to sit because of his nagging injuries. However, who the hell plays center? No one wants to!! Call Niedermayer? Mike Grier? Mike Hartman?
• Tyler Myers is not having a good night. In fact, he's kind of been invisible this season. 
• Thomas Vanek showed up tonight. He could have 3-hat tricks. He owns Tampa Bay (23 goals in 26 career games). Yes, I'm sure you didn't know that stat by now. (Sarcasm) 
• I just wanted to mention that besides #23's stellar defensive play (Sarcasm), his first 8 games here couldn't have gone more terribly. I Already heard rumblings from the media that he had an attitude with the press, after being asked to go from center to wing. I don't have a problem where this guy plays, as long as he's producing, he can play mascot. He got his wish to play wing tonight and he didn't do anything. Yes, it is early, which I'm sure Jeremy White will remind all of us on Twitter, but I don't like my 28-million dollar free agent having a negative attitude so early in his 7-year deal.
• Score: 3-2, Tampa.  

3rd period thoughts:

• Nothing much is happening.
• Awful call on Cody McCormick. The Tampa Bay guy ran into his goalie. Very lame. 
• Really like the play of the 3rd and 4th lines tonight. The checking line of 42-28-36 have been all over both ends of the ice. Could be their best performance this season.
• This Downie guy isn't like the Downie bear. F this clown. You can't take a shot two seconds after the whistle blows. 
• We left our powerplay in Europe. 
• This Garon guy looked great during the final 10 minutes of this game. The Sabres had chances with #29 and #72 knocking on the doorstep for rebounds, but Garon stoned them. 
• Well, that is about all she wrote. Malone scores on the breakaway. That's four unanswered goals by the Bolts.
• Um, check that. Gerbe with the blast. Nice feed from Goose. Like I said, best line of the night. 
• Nah, false alarm. It's over. 4-3, Tampa.
• BTW, didn't we have issues at home at the start of last year? We haven't won a home game since the spring. Curse the name change of the Arena!

Final thoughts: Yes, it is still early in the season, but this blowing a two goal lead worries me. We had this issue a lot last year. Also, there were too many moments when the Sabres looked great (See first and last 10 minutes of the game) and then looked really sluggish (See: End of the 1st to the end of the 2nd). They were hungry during the final 90 seconds of the game, but they didn't show enough of that passion for the rest of night. Lastly, you are playing against a really good Tampa Bay team, and if you want to be considered a contender, you have to beat great teams. I don't know, but being swept in a home-and-home, kind of stinks.

Oh, and Vanek looks awesome!