Sabres Storm Back in Third to Win 7-4
Mar 20, 2008 NHL
You almost feel bad for the Lightning, who probably thought they had this game in the bag after 2 periods. Buffalo looked downright terrible at times, with giveaways and gaffes costing them goals early. However, strong play from their current captain and the newly-reunited Roy-Vanek-Stafford line pulled it out for em’.
Jeff Halpern and Martin St. Louis staked Tampa Bay to a 2 goal lead midway through the first, before Jason Pominville netted his first of the night to cut their lead back to 1. Buffalo gave up two more in the second period, leaving the ice to a chorus of boos from the HSBC Arena crowd. The team responded in the third period, outshooting the Lightning 16-4. It was Pominville again with the first goal of the period, as Gaustad pushed forward with the puck on a faceoff and passed it to Pommers for the tap-in on a set play that had worked for them once before. Pominville and Goose worked the puck to Jochen Hecht for his 20th of the season less than 20 seconds later, and after that it was the Vanek show, co-starring Angry Eyebrows and Derek Roy. Roy ripped one toward the net that Vanek tipped (only credited with it after the game), and then picked up two more for good measure for the natural hat trick. Jochen Hecht got an empty netter to seal it.
You know, I had all but given up on this game, my wife sent me downstairs to watch it so she could watch Food Network uninterrupted on her pregnancy bed rest. I sat down for the start of the third, ready to change the channel if the pain got any worse. I perked up when the faceoff play worked, and I may have let out a whoop when the next one seemed to deflate TB. All in all, this was a MUCH better ending to my night than I thought it would be after the first two periods. Oh, and even better, the Caps lost so Buffalo has 9th place back, one behind the stupid Flyers. Toronto is in town on Friday, how about we go for 8 on them?
Tags: angry eyebrows, B-Lo Sports, Drew Stafford, gaustad, halpern, hat trick, hecht, Hockey, lightning, NHL, pominville, roy, sabres, st. louis, tampa bay, Thomas Vanek
