It was a 2-2 game after 40 minutes.
The Flames scored early in the third period to make it 3-2 Fames.
Then the trio of Matt Moulson, Zemgus Girgensons and Tyler Ennis took control of the game. Buffalo's #1 line accounted for 7 points and were +7 against the Flames.
Girgensons scored his career high 9th goal of the season to tie the game.
At the 12:31 mark of the third period, Girgensons assisted on Matt Moulson's 6th goal of the season, his second of the game.
It was the game winning goal and was the second two goal game of Moulson's Buffalo career. He last accomplished the feat in his first game in Buffalo gear on 10/28/13.
The Latvian Locomotive had a goal and an assist and was +3.
Tyler Ennis collected 3 assists.
[GIF] @zemgus94 scores his career-high 9th of the season. #BalsoParZemgu #VoteZemgus #CGYvsBUF pic.twitter.com/A69Ze5i33W
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 12, 2014Jhonas Enroth made 42 saves for the winners. He's now 7-2 in his last 9 games
A win for @JEnroth125 in his 100th career @NHL game. He's 7-2-0 in his last 9 games (.944 save %, 1.93 GAA) #CGYvsBUF pic.twitter.com/U3I2sa2afF
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) December 12, 2014
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Ted Nolan benched Chris Stewart on Tuesday night and the Sabres power forward had to watch a 1-0 shutout win from the press box. Stewart's ice time had been chopped during recent losses to Tampa and Florida. Stewart said he saw the writing on the wall but was still upset when he learned of his benching.
That morning, Nolan called Stewart's play "soft", to which Stewart furiously responded:
"Ask Prust and Lucic how soft I am...." Add Brandon Bollig to the list of NHL heavyweights who would disagree with Nolan's assertion that Stewart plays a sift game.
After a quiet first period where he went shotless and hitless against Calgary, Stewart erupted a barrage of knuckles on Bollig's face in the second period.
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Tim Murray and the Buffalo Sabres have a decision to make regarding allowing Nikita Zadorov to leave the Sabres to go play for his native Team Russia at the IIHF WJCs. Training camps are opening as we speak and Russia has invited the 6'5" 240 pound battering ram to represent his country when the Tourney kicks off in Montreal on Boxing Day.
Sabres GM Tim Murray spent the early part of this week at the Board Of Governors meetings in Boca Raton, Florida. Now that he is back in Buffalo, Murray will have to either give the thumbs up or the thumbs down to loaning Zadorov to Russia.
TSN's Bob McKenzie says that Murray is leaning in the direction of loaning Zadorov to Team Russia.
No decision made yet but BUF is seriously considering loaning Nikita Zadorov to RUS for WJC.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) December 12, 2014
Zadorov and Rasmus Ristolainen have been Buffalo's best defensive dup since Ted Nolan p[aired them together a month and a half ago.
In 17 games, Zadorov is averaging 17:59 TOI. He is +3 with 29 PIMs. He has collected 34 hits and has 19 blocked shots.
The Russian Ice Hockey Federation wisely selected the London Knights star to play for team Russia due to the fact that Team Canada will have 10-11 players on its roster from the Ontario Hockey League. Zadorov knows the scouting report on OHL players like Connor McDavid, Nick Baptiste, Brendan Perlini, and Nick Ritchie to name a few.
Personally, I'd love to see the kid dominate his peer group at the WJCs. I feel strongly that playing against the best U20s in the world will only help his overall game and will serve as fuel for his already burgeoning confidence. With a strong showing at the WJCs, Zadorov will be all the more motivated to return to Buffalo after the tourney ends on January 5.
The Sabres could promote Jake McCabe from Rochester to tale the place of Zadorov while he is playing for Russia.
More to come....
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Greeting from the frosty confines of the Ted Darling Memoruial Press Box.
#LegendOfZemgus vs. #JohnnyHockey will begin shortly.
THe NHL Board of Governors meetings were held earlier this week in Boca Raton, Florida and have now wrapped up. Sabres GM Tim Murray attended the BOG meetings and reportedly spoke with several teams about possible trade targets. Murray will sell several of his assets for more organizational currency that will help him to expedite his re-build strategy. In Calgary, Brian Burke will be buying talent to help bolster his roster. The Flames enter Thursady night's action in sixth place in the Western Conference with an impressive 17-9-2 record.
Per usual, Murray is open for business. If the price is right, he will make trades. The operative word is "IF". Murray likely revisited his previous discussions with his NHL counterparts and reiterated the asking price for such players as Chris Stewart, Drew Stafford, Tyler Myers, and Michal Neuvirth. Murray is in no position to have to make deals for the sake of making deals.
Despite the poor weather outside, there are several scouts from several teams inside the building tonight. Among the teams represented by scouts are: Anaheim, Boston, Phoenix, Montreal, Dallas, Florida, New Jersey, Winnipeg, Columbus, and Toronto.
Many of these scouts may be here to watch the Flames. Earlier this week their Director of Hockey Operations Brian Burke was interviewed and said that he has given his GM Brad Treliving permission to make deals. The Flames have $19 million in available cap space to use to make upgrades and improvements to their roster.
The Flames have surprised the hockey world with their fast start to this season. Burke made it clear the Flames are more than willing to start spending some of the more than $19 million in available cap space to make the team even more of a playoff threat.
"You can quote me on this. We are budgeted as a full cap team," said Burke today at the conclusion of the NHL’s board of governors meetings.
"The only reason we haven’t been a cap team so far is we haven’t seen the value. But the second we do, (GM) Brad Treliving is authorized to go right to the cap."