As you may know, there’s a big to-do in the hockey blogosphere about blogger access to the press box. I’ll write more about that, and the piece that aired on Hockey Night in Canada, at a later point. I swear, I must have started a dozen different posts over the past year about how bloggers should have regular access to the press box (note: I do not want that for myself), but I have always canned them because I think the topic of bloggers writing about bloggers who want to blog is, well, I don’t know. It’s just not me.

Much of the conversation from the blogger end is that “we” can actually be more critical of the local team than “them” - those writers whose papers are owned by companies which interact with companies owned by the owner of the hockey team. Got that? If not, read it again.

Here in Buffalo, that’s clearly not the case. In fact, I would think that - my stunning good looks aside - much of this site’s popularity is due to the fact I am usually in direct opposition to the negative and downright destructive commentary of Bucky Gleason and Jerry Sullivan. (Although Jerry has been like a mouse of late. Maybe he’s worried about Santa screwing him this year.)

Nothing like an 8-1 win to get you feeling good about the home team, and there’s nothing like an 8-1 win to make sure your five-year-old kid has a good time. What’s really amazing is that I’m not sure he saw a single goal. We were up in the first row of the 300’s (ebay purchase for $95 for the pair - that’s a bargain) and his eyes were everywhere but the ice. The ribbon board was a big hit, but then again, so was the press box. Who knows, maybe he was looking for Bucky Gleason to try and figure out what exactly Daddy’s fascination is…

I’m not sure how it’s possible to look like shit in an 8-1 game, but Thomas Vanek sure managed to pull it off. It was as if his goal for the night was to give Carolina a power play for the entire second period while missing - or hesitating on - every single chance he had. Well, except one, that is. I don’t mean to diminish his goal, but it came at a time when the game was long decided and after misplaying multiple chances. I know he’s got about $10 million worth of gripping on his mind, but he just needs to let the puck fly and hope they start going in. Maybe his goal tonight will change that.

Bisons left-hander Juan Lara was seriously injured leaving a Winter League game in the Dominican Saturday night and may need to be transported to the United States to undergo surgery.

Lara was stopped at an intersection traveling home from his teams game in San Pedro de Macoris when a motorcycle collided with his vehicle, killing the two people on the bike. Further details about the extent Lara’s injuries are not yet available.

Lara went 4-3 with a 3.88 ERA and 50 K’s in 58 innings of work out of Buffalo’s bullpen last season.

Let’s all hope he comes out of this okay and makes a full recovery.