1st Period:
Love the weak call on Adam Mair--- Hal Gill gives Mair a cross check to the face, Mair gives the 6'7 gentle giant a love tap, and Mair goes for a slash at :37.
Sundin finds Antropov with the laser quick pass at the goal mouth. 1-0 Toronto.
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The Sabres dodge a 2 goal deficit with a good call by the zebras. The flopping puck never crossed the goal line. NO GOAL. Credit Stafford for getting his twig on the loose puck before it crossed the goal line.
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Buffalo need to take a deep breath, relax and move the puck north and south. Lindy has to get his 4 line rotation working, as he had done with great success in Buffalo on Friday night.
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The Sabres are trying to get the forecheck going early with a steady diet of Kaleta-Mair-Peters. You'll recall that the success vs. Atlanta was largely due to an aggressive forecheck that created gaps, seasm and turnovers in the ATL end of the rink.
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Toronto's two man forecheck is causing problems for the Buffalo breakout. The Buffalo D are denied time and space and have little room to operate and to advance the puck accurately.
Paul Maurice is controlling the tempo in the first period. Next move is Lindy's.
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Steen takes Toronto's first penalty @ 15:19..... Sabres scored 3 PPG vs. ATL last night. Good PK by Stajan and The Leafs. No shots on goal for Buffalo.
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Credit the Leafs for their conservative gameplan. They took away the Buffalo forward progress in the 1st period. Solid team D.
Sabres can be better and will have to be in the second.
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During Coaches Corner:
Donald S. Cherry, Esquire on the Campbell saga:
"They gotta sign him. He's a good Canadian boy!"
Cherry referenced Kevin Lowe's offer sheet to Vanek last Summer as the precursor to these trying times between Buffalo and the Campbell camp.
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2nd Period:
Paul Maurice will drop in the 1-4 Trap in the second period.
Sticks in lanes.
The Sabres will have to be better than that. Speed through the zone and shot quick passes will be the Trap 9 times out of 10.
Time for Buffalo to skate like their hair's on fire!
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2-0 Leafs- Their second PPG tonight. Alex Steen gets credit for the goal that found its way into the net with a littel help from Brian Campbell. :34 seconds.
3-0 Leafs: Poni beats Miller from 50 feet away-- no screen. Miller's gotta tighten up and make that save.
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Sundin sits for interefering with Roy..... no luck for the Buffalo PP. They are not moving the puck with authority.
Buffalo are 0-2 on the PP; 3 shots is all the can muster with the man advantage?
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Hecht scores his 16th of the season, his 10th on the road, on an odd-angle shot on Toskala's short side. 3-1 Leafs.
The Leafs contolled play in the Buffalo zone for what seemed like three straight minutes before Hecht scored his goal. Buffalo were dead tired in their end and could not clear the puck for a line change. Were it not for Miller, the score would be 4-0.
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Pommer sits for two... Miller has to stand tall... Successful PK--- Leafs are 2 for 3 on the PP.
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Buffalo will have to get their act together and come hard for the final 20 minutes. They have a lot of tread left on their collective tires. Time to drive the net, win races to loose pucks and to win the wall.
After 40 shots on goal, 15-15
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3rd Period:
I happen to agree with Pierre LeBrun. The Sabres and Brian Campbell are not done working on a deal. I'm hearing that another offer will be made shortly.
LeBrun's comments were made during " The Hotstove " on HNIC. Al Starchan stated that Chicago are hot on Soupy... not so fast.
Campbell will be a Sabres for multiple years to come.
Term and dollars will be worked out.
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Buffalo are bring the pressure early in the third. Staff-Roy-Vanek are driving theToronto crazy with their constant motion.
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Has Hal Gill ever dropped his gloves in his NHL career?
The guy sells it like he's a tough guy and he refuses to engage opponents when challenged. He's always quick to slash and guy or hit from behind after whistles.
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b>3-2 Leafs: Dan Paille scores his 11th of the season at 9:00. Toskala missed it glove low. Goose and Al with assists.
* Kotaliks's 100th career assist.
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Can the Leafs hold on? Buffalo are skating and driving the net well. It appears as though Buffalo have made the necessary adjustments to Toronto's 1-4.
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4-2 Leafs: blake gets hi s9th of the season. Buffalo pinched in search of the game tying goal and got burned on the 2 on 1 the other way.
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These four points are critical to both teams.
This game is not your average January 19 game. This game is a necessity, not a luxury item for both squads.
The Sabres, for all their woes in the past three weeks, enter this contest three points out of a Playoff spot in the East (46 points).
The Leafs will be looking to win their third straight game, and are in need of points (44 points).
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