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Classic Rewind: 2006 ECQF Game 1: Philadelphia Flyers |
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With the Sabres on a break, it seemed like a good time to bust out a Sabres classic game courtesy of Sabres.com. There’s also some really good women’s Olympic hockey going on if you’re looking for something other than the All-Star Game. Full disclosure – I haven’t watched the All-Star game since the ‘90s and I have no interest in doing so ever again, so classic Sabres it is! We’ll get back to talking current Sabres as they resume their season this week.
It was great to see the tandem of Rick Jeanneret and Jim Lorentz after all this time. Lorentz brought an even-keeled analysis that perfectly complimented the exuberant style of Jeanneret, similar to the way that Pat Summerall complimented John Madden on NFL broadcasts.
Here’s how the Sabres lined up for game 1:
Roy-Drury-Grier
Hecht-Briere-Dumont
Kotalik-Connolly-Afinogenov
Pominville-Gaustad-Vanek
Lydman-Tallinder
Kalinin-Numminen
McKee-Campbell
Miller
The Sabres were largely hemmed in their own zone for the first minute of the game before Mike Grier managed to establish some control by taking the puck 1-on-2 into the Flyers’ zone. Playoff Mike Grier was a totally different player than regular season Grier; he always managed to find a higher gear.
The Sabres’ first powerplay of the game was unsuccessful as they tried to get their feet underneath them. Still, their puck movement was incredible and Campbell’s wheels were on full display as he could gain the line by turning on the jets. The home team broke through on a broken play as Kotalik gave the puck away deep in the offensive zone but managed to slow his man up enough to allow Connolly to catch up and take the puck away. From there, Connolly danced in front of Esche and tucked a neat backhand behind Esche to make it 1-0. Robert Esche entered the contest with an .897 save percentage in the regular season and he had no chance against the fast and tenacious Sabres team.
There are unmistakable parallels between Alex Kotalik on that team and Victor Olofsson on this edition of the Sabres. On a 5-on-3, the thought process was clearly to get the puck up to the point to find Kotalik for the booming one timer, and while Olofsson doesn’t have the slapper of Kotalik, he usually acts as the trigger man on a power play. Olofsson will probably find a home on a playoff team come trade deadline time for a team that thinks they need that shot with the man advantage.
It’s easy to remember why Afinogenov was so popular and yet so polarizing after watching him for the first time in nearly a decade. The guy could dangle and fake someone out and then blow a tire and give the puck away for a scoring chance against; it was all part of the Maxim Afinogenov experience.
Back in the game action, Jay McKee extended the Sabres’ lead in the second period as he took a sort of cross-ice drop pass from Campbell and then snuck down into the mid-slot and wired a high wrister over Esche who was screened on the play by Jochen Hecht. Talk about an unlikely scorer in McKee: his high in goals during his time in the NHL was 5 – and that came during this 2006-07 season.
One very noticeable concept from the game – and a definite difference compared to recent incarnations of the Sabres – was the willingness of all Sabres to dish out a hit, no matter what their role on the team. Briere finished a few checks with enough authority to rattle the boards significantly. There was even a player laying out to block a shot which I don’t believe I’ve seen a Sabre do in five-or-so years. Your Carubba Collision of the night was J.P. Dumont laying out Petr Nedved in the neutral zone (until Campbell destroyed Umberger later).
The Flyers, of course, were known for their willingness to play a physical game and the Sabres under Lindy Ruff were no doubt aware that they would have to try to match that physicality in this series. That size was on full display as big Mike Knuble made his way to the front of the net and waited for a rebound to make the game 2-1 Buffalo. Knuble had scored a goal against the Sabres in nine straight contests against the Sabres, according to a stat shown on the broadcast, and he nearly tied the contest late in the second before the goal was called back due to a high stick.
The Flyers really started applying the pressure late in the third period and it resulted in a penalty against Toni Lydman that was a bit for foreshadowing for the way the Sabres season would end as Lydman received a delay-of-game penalty for airmailing the puck over the glass which allowed the Flyers to tie the game 2-2 in the waning moments of the third. The Sabres had led the Flyers 40-18 in shots up to that point.
Peter Forsberg was still near the height of his powers at this point and he almost won the game with under a minute on an individual effort, but the teams headed for overtime instead. Toni Lydman took what you might call a good penalty early in the OT frame as Simon Gagne was all alone in front of a sprawling Miller and Lydman had no choice but to hook and hold on for dear life against the 40-goal scorer. The Flyers really brought it to the Sabres for the first half of that OT period and Miller absolutely robbed Gagne as Ruff’s crew got caught on an icing as Afinogenov and Kotalik had to matchup against Forsberg and Knuble.
The 4th line of the Sabres (Vanek, Pominville and Gaustad) had a terrific overtime period as they drew two penalties and created the most opportunities for the black and red in the initial OT period. This game was destined to continue, though, as it became the 4th longest playoff game in Sabres history and had to be settled in the second overtime period. The trio of Knuble, Forsberg and Gagne was really the only answer the Flyers had for Buffalo.
Danny Briere finally iced the game in 2OT on a beautiful cycle play in the offensive zone with a tap-in goal on a feed from Jochen Hecht. It was a classic call from RJ: "Danny Briere! Danny Briere! Danny Briere! On at least his 13th shot of the night! And Buffalo wins it in double oooooovertime."
Highly recommend checking out one of these classic games if you’re looking for a palate cleanser for the past decade of games. Thanks to Sabres.com for posting it. Be back soon with new Sabres coverage.
Buffalo Sabres Blogger • 
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