Damn, I hit the reply button too soon:

OK, It's officialy OVER!!!! It hurts. It really, really hurts.

bonniebroad: PLEASE drop me a line at eleven (at) buffalo (dot) com.

Girlfriend, you are gonna LOVE the sponge candy!!!!!!

I am so :'( :`( :((

SIGH.

BuffaloGirl, you are a gracious and charming person. Insist Bonnie send you some of her banana bread to ease the pain......

Thanks, bonnie and cmcfong. My son, after a tear or two, bounced right back.....just like the Sabres will!!! Hey, real men (and boys) cry, right?????

Enjoy your win and good luck in your quest for Lord Stanley!

After four Super Bowl losses, we can handle anything :-)!

Bonnie...I mean it....contact me. If you don't, I'll bug the heck out of you! :-)

As a die hard Buffalo sports fan who was in attendance at all 4 Super Bowl losses and the Sabres/Dallas "no goal" game in the Stanley Cup finals, it's hard to describe how disappointed I am that the Sabres lost tonight. However, I am so proud of the Sabres team, who battled all season long, especially through the playoffs, with injuries that would have kept most teams far away from game 7 in the conference finals. While I congratulate the Hurricanes, I can't help but root for the Oilers, a team from a city that will really care about supporting their team in the finals. Carolina, will you have tickets available for game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, like you had available for game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals?

Here is my report from a rocking, and I do mean rocking RBC Center. I got home an hour ago, but my wife was on the computer. There were several hundred Buffalo fans as usual, but I barely made it there for the start of the game. After the game, I stayed outside for a while with hundreds of other Cane fans. A band played before a very enthusiastic crowd - such greats as "Rock You Like a Hurricane," "Sweet Home Alabama" (changed to "Sweet Home Carolina"), and "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." Hundreds of more fans were still hanging around all over the parking lots, and I saw a few remaining Sabres fans getting ready to head back north. I did shake one guy's hand and tell him that it was a great series. The Buffalo fans tried to cheer tonight, but this was the one night when they didn't have a prayer of being heard. This place was soooooooo loud with "Let's Go Canes!" I know I had to stop at one point for fear of losing my voice.

For a Hurricane fan, the way this game went was about as good as one could hope. Weight and Williams both had terrific plays to make up for Tuesday's mistakes, and the captain Rod Brind'Amour scored the go ahead goal. He did it all tonight. Plus, like all year, they came from behind with a big third period.

Lastly, let me say that it is impossible for me to feel sympathy for the opposing team, but I do feel for some of the fans (I know how much this would have meant to your city - I would have pulled for the Sabres in the Finals if we had lost). I thought all year long that Buffalo was a terrific team, and they really showed that in the playoffs. There is a lot to be proud about, but I am sure it hurts a lot right now. Sure, I would have gladly taken a four-game sweep, and I was disappointed we lost Tuesday night, but the way this series went gave me some of the greatest thrills of my life. Thank you Buffalo for an amazing series. Who knows how good a team will be from year to year these days, as players move around all the time, but I imagine the Sabres will be back in force. See you in the fall. Now, I am ready for the Finals!! And tomorrow is Friday. Doesn't get much better.

Dan - you almost make me want to cheer for Carolina now in the finals.

Congrats to Bonnie and Dan and all the Canes fans. It was a great series. We Sagbres fans have a lot to look forward to if Sabres management spends the $$ to keep some key players. I'd like to say I will be cheering for the canes in the cup but Mike Peca (a fromer Sabre)is on the Oilers and I'll probably root for his team. Great to speak with so many hockey fans!!! Have a great weekend!