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
Vanek Stuns the Lightning in OT
Feb 20, 2008 NHL
Yes, boys and girls, Thomas Vanek is officially ON FIRE. Vanek’s deft hands in front of the net brought the Sabres back from the brink, thanks to some great feeds from Connolly and Lydman, and TV slammed home the rebound from Spacek’s shot on the PP for the game-winner (and natural hatty). Vanek has 12 goals in his last 11 games.
(TV going all ‘Luck be a lady TONIGHT!)
Tampa Bay jumped out to an early lead thanks to a Chris Gratton goal, but the Sabres continued to pour on the shots on Johan Holmqvist from then on. They stretched the lead to 2-0 a minute into the third, but Derek Roy busted in to cut the lead back to a goal less than 2 minutes later. Prospal appeared to ice it for the Bolts but the Sabres kept fighting. A great comeback win for the Sabres, who should be feeling pretty good about themselves before facing the Leafs tomorrow night.
Gratuitous bench slam picture.
Tags: connolly, gratton, hat trick, Hockey, holmqvist, lightning, NHL, prospal, roy, sabres, Spacek, tampa bay, Thomas Vanek
Sabres Pound New-Look Senators
Feb 12, 2008 NHL
The Senators had two new faces in the lineup, but the result was a painful 5-1 smackdown by the visiting Sabres. Thomas Vanek was all over the place, getting his first career Hat Trick on some very different goals. The first was a booming slapshot on a play that started with a steal from Connolly, the second came on a rebound Vanek spun and swept into the net, and his final goal was a redirect from his usual vantage point in front of the net.
It was Clarke MacArthur that really stuck the knife in and twisted, though, as he scored just seconds after the Senators’ Randy Robitaille had cut the deficit to one. Looked like Pominville had the final goal to round out the scoring.
This was total domination by the Sabres from the first puck-drop. They pounded shot after shot at Ray Emery, leading that category 27-11 after 2 periods. Their sticks were always tipping the Senators’ passes. The PK was strong (killing 5 of 6) and the PP was stronger (2 for 5, but the final goal came just as a penalty was ending). The only thing missing would be to see Chris Neil get beat down in a fight, and I really thought Pratt was going to step into the ring at one point for that. The Sabres come home tomorrow to face the Leafs, I sure hope some of this fire follows them.
Tags: B-Lo Sports, B-Lo Sports, connolly, emery, hat trick, hattrick, Hockey, macarthur, neil, NHL, ottawa, pominville, pratt, Ryan Miller, sabres, senators, Thomas Vanek
