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The picture on this post is a perfect portrait of a moment gone wrong. Two Sabres, wondering what on earth is going on. Netminder Andrew Raycroft and the referee, both likely thinking much the same. And Bryan McCabe, in prime scoring position, shovelling the puck into his own net (after it clanks off both posts, naturally).

McCabe scored into his own goal with less than four seconds left.

"Obviously, I wasn't trying to shoot it in my own net," McCabe said. "The rebound came out. I was just trying to shoot it in the corner. It went off the post and in."

We know Bryan. You are but an agent of whatever dark force controls this team's fate at this point.

I expect the booing to be legendary when Leafs Nation's latest scapegoat returns home to face Florida on Thursday. He's the scatman...



Elsewhere in Bettman's kingdom ...
The NHLPA made an offer to Paul Kelly to be the association's next executive director. For some reason I put together a lengthy ode to the former prosecutor on my blog, likely due to an unhealthy appetite for union goings on.

My doctor says it's treatable.

Bowl-of-rice's mea culpa ...
It's been quite a week for Jesse Boulerice, the fringe Flyer none of us had heard of but a week ago. After nearly beheading the Canucks' Ryan Kesler in a game last Wednesday, the sports talk show circuit was aflutter with talk of 'what will he get', and when the hammer came down on Friday, it was a 25-game ban.

Boulerice had the weekend to rethink his career choice before Philadelphia placed him on waivers on Monday, not long after he'd called Kesler to apologize for the aforementioned near-beheading.

He's likely headed for the Phantoms and minor-league anonymity, perhaps permanently.

Ducks down Wings ...
Henrik Zetterberg is making my hockey pool sing, extending his lead over the rest of the league with yet another offensive display. The 'Berg is good enough to win the scoring title this year after missing some considerable time last season with injury, and he's in a contract year.

Let's just say we don't envy GM Ken Holland on that one.

Meanwhile, Anaheim's big free agent acquisition, Todd Bertuzzi, sat this one out with a concussion, but his team beat the Red Wings 6-3 with three third-period goals. With Bertuzzi and Mathieu Schneider on the shelf, a few Ducks continued to play insane minutes, namely Francois Beauchemin at 34:45 and Ryan Getzlaf at 26:03.

Both Getzlaf and Chris Pronger picked up three assists in the win.

Sharks take bite outta Vancouver ...
San Jose's been struggling this year, but didn't have any trouble handling the Canucks on Monday, as Joe Thornton broke out with a goal and two assists. The Sharks also finally got some contributions from a few of their heralded youngsters, as Ryane Clowe picked up an assist and Joe Pavelski scored the winner 2:33 into the third period.

That secondary scoring's going to play a big role if San Jose's is headed for the Pacific Division title this year.