"We just took our foot off the gas pedal in that second period", Drew Stafford told me after the game. No argument from anyone who saw that game. Buffalo dominated the first period, fell down and couldn't get up in the second period, then pushed hard for the tie in the third, only to lose on a questionable interference penalty that led to Kyle Turris' OT GWG.
Stafford couldn't smile about his own personal accomplishment of scoring two key goals for his team.
"This game is a mystery", the dejected winger said after the loss.
Ron Rolston summed it up this way:
"We played one of our best first periods of the season, then one of our worst second periods... not doing what we had to do in execution..."
"Its tough to lose games like this. Its hard to take", Marcus Foligno told me in the losing locker room.
The Sabres will immediately head to the airport for their Sunday night tilt in Washington.
More to come later.....
***
1st Period:
That, by far, was Ville Leino's best period of hockey as a Buffalo Sabre.
His effort, dogged determination and creativity were on full display for all to see. Looked like vintage Philly Leino from 2010 when the Sabres feel for the guy's sick mitts. Leaders lead, and Leino definitely led his team's attack in period one. I like what I'm seeing.
Leino made his presence felt on his third shift of nhis first game of the season when he skated down his right wing wall with a man on him, then he threw a dart off the back hand to the crease where Ennis and Ott were camped out. 63 and 9 hacked and slashed as Bishop was under siege on the bang-bang play. Leino would late set-up the Mike Weber goal by delecting a point shot that would eventually end up back at the point for Weber to tee up and fire past Bishop for Buffalo's first goal of the game.
For the period, Leino skated 5 shifts for 4:19 TOI. He was +1.
I like what I'm seeing from Leino. Can he sustain his skating and play making abilities for the remainder of the game? The remainder of the season?
Drew Stafford would then score his third goal of the season to give the Sabres a 2-0 lead after 20.
2-0 Buffalo
**
2nd Period:
Regehr creates an ugly turnover at the Buffalo blue line that leads to a four-save rally by Miller. Zibanejad and Greening teed off on Miller at close range, however, Miller made all four breathtaking saves to save Regehr's bacon.
Seconds later, Pominville fails to clear the zone, and the turnover ended up on Wiercoch's stick, and in behind Miller.om three miles away after that disgusting clearing attempt by the captain.
I saw that goal coming from three miles away.
2-1 Sabres
**
Moments later... Ottawa tied the score at 2....
Hecht lost it clean. Ends up at points for shot, goal
Just like the coach draws it up on the dry erase board:
1). Win draw clean, send it to the point
2). D takes clean shot, no screen
3). Miller beaten
4). Red light spins
2-2
3-2 Sens when Kyle Turris beats Miller on a wrap around at the end of the period after Hecht struggled to back check the younger, faster Turris. Hecht is a joke. He can't skate, he won't hit and he can't score.
The Sabres give up the lead and the momentum after they are drilled by the Sens in period two. Sens out shot Sabres 15-5 in P2.
Nice of Regehr to punch Neil in the face a few times
***
3rd Period:
3-3
Drew Stafford scores his second of the day, as Hecht and Ehrhoff provide helpers.
**
OT:
Sens have now played 11 consecutive one goal games
***
Live From The Ted Darling Memorial Press Box, its a hockey day in Buffalo. The Sabres and Sens will get it on shortly.
The arena DJ nailed it just then by playing "How Soon Is Now", the genius opus by Morrissey and The Smiths.
Great question. How soon is now, Sabres?
You've seen enough of the losing and the inconsistency. You've seen enough of the demotion of youngsters back to their junior squads. You've seen enough of the trading of former second round prospects for fifth round nobodies.
How soon is NOW?
Is today the day that the sun, moon, and stars align in perfect formation to allow the Sabres to create a 7-10 game winning streak? If not, the forecast on this season gets darker and bleaker.
***
There will be scouts here representing ten different NHL teams today. Some are regular attendees, some are one-offs. Kicking tires?
Among the teams that will be here today are Detroit and Dallas.
Yesterday afternoon at the Mikhail Grigorenko presser, Darcy Regier revealed that he has been receiving "lots" of calls from other NHL GMS of late. Regier said that he expects the urgency and frequency of calls to increase this week as the NHL GMs will meet in Toronto for their scheduled GMs meetings.
***
Warm-Ups:
Per usual, Vanek-Hodgson-Pommer
Then, here are the other trios:
9-63-23
82-12-65
42-55-21
I hate the fact that Rolston has scratched Big John Scott. I'm done trying to crack the code to figure out how Rolston builds his lines for games. I thought for sure that he'd dress Scott due to the fact that Ottawa announced yesterday that their newly acquired cement head, Matt Kassian will be making his Sens debut today. Whatev...
***
DET D Kyle Quincey with cheekbone fracture. Out indefinitely. Might explain why their scout is here?
***
We'll know how Leino's hip feels after he's cracked once or twice by a Chris Neil body check on the wall or in open ice
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