1ST PERIOD:
Uber PA man, Jay Moran, has laryngitis, however, he's gutting it out tonight. He's in the lineup!
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7:38pm- 28-55-29 start for Bufalo; 16-14-55 for Buds.
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@ :45 seconds, Ryan Miller made a routine stop with his chest protector, however, referee McCreary stopped the play... no whistle? Mc has a reputation of doing that.
@ 2:28, Miller makes great glove save on a Newbury wrister from 21 feet away.
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The Sabres forwards and D have to tighten the gap on the Toronto forwards who are getting early rush opportunities that have resulted in three good scoring chances.
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Mark Bell wiped out Kotalik with a stiff, clean check. Next shift, Kaleta cranked McCabe then ran down the ice and slammed Bell. Bell threw his elbow into Kaleta's face. Bell will sit two for roughing.
Sabres PP:
Max hits every inch of the post-- NO GOAL.
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1-0 LEAFS:
@ 8:49- After the penalty Jason Blakes beats Buffalo on a sloppy line change. 55 walked up the gut and beat Miller with a wrister from in close. Steen and Poni with assists.
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@ 11:42- Afinogenov gets busted for a slash.... things are getting testy!
LEAFS PP:
Darcy Tucker stuffs home a loose puck--- 2-0 Leafs.
Lydman was too passive in the blue ice and allowed Tucker free access to the puck. No resistance. Throw an elbow down his gullet, Chainsaw!
Hecht and Lydman need to communicate better and not allow Tucker to roam free in the blue ice.
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Buffalo are not laying the body and the Leafs are skating easily through the Buffalo D zone. Time to lay the body!***
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@ 15:05 Stajan sits two for a trip... Buffalo's PP looks like a mess. Confused entries and indecision with the puck...
Sabres PP:
Ineffective.
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@ 17:26, Kronwall gets two for hooking Lydman......
Sabres PP:
Buffalo get running around.... good thing Pni selfishly hauls down Derek Roy @ 18:51....
A Toronto beat writer next to me screamed "What a dive!"... easy, Slappy!
5 on 3 Buffalo for 1:09:
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2ND PERIOD:
@ 31 seconds, Vanek scores his 32nd while on the 5 on 3 PP. From Roy and Pominville.
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@3:23, Strahlman 2 for holding....
Sabres PP:
@ 4:06, Maurice gets hooked for too many men.
Another 5 on 3 PP for Buffalo:
@ 5:23 ANOTHER Toronto Penalty!! Funky Cold Kubina gets two for high sticking....
Toskala standing tall in his net... three key saves in a row...
Try as they might, the Sabres could not beat Toskala on their 5 on 3. Credit to the PK.
SUCCESSFUL TORONTO PK. The Leaf faithful in the house show their appreciation!
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No offense to Toni Lydman, he's trying his damnest to create a buzz on the point on the Buffalo PP. He's trying heard, however, its hard to replace Spacho and Soup, to say nothing of Connolly on the point.
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3-1 Leafs:
Anton Stralman gets the puck after the faceoff win. He walk along the blue line and fires a harmless wrister at Miller. Red Light Special. 3-1 Leafs.
Miller has to make that save. No screen and no deflection. Beaten over the glove.
**
The Leafs want to hand this game to Buffalo--- they're taking dumb penalties and begging Buffalo to score with the man advantage0--- no can do.
Both Buffalo PP units are shuckin and jivin with the puck and they are not getting pucks to the down low man (Vanek and Goose) in front of Toskala.
In this season of giving, why not accept the Toronto charity and send them back up the QEW?
This game will go a long way to determine whether the Sabres make the postseason, or, not.
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3RD PERIOD:
If I had a punk band, its name wuld be "Mike Zeisberger's Skullet". Beauty helmet, eh?
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Buffalo outshots the Leafs 15-4 in the second (28-13 after 40), and yet they cannot beat Toskala. The Buffalo forwards need to bear down and win more 50/50 pucks and wall battles. I see Bernier not usinghis 6'2 215 frame. Get pucks to the net Bear!
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Buffalo are 1 for 7 on the PP. They've had the man advantage for 10:45 in this game, and yet they cannot score more Powerplay goals.
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@ 1:52, Vanek trip sthe Toornto Dman coming out from behind the cage. Lazy penalty. Move your feet 26!
Successful Buffalo PK.
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Before tonight, the Sabres had scored 20 goals in their last three game. The scored 6 goals in 14 minutes on Wednesday night vs. Tampa. One goal through 50 minutes tonight just ain't gonna get it done.
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The scoreboard here just flashed the 4-3 Flyers win over the Rangers. What the Hell was Tom Renney thinking? Satrting Valiquette instead of Hank The Bank. Thanks, Tom!
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@ 13:08, Weber and Sekera fumbled the loose puck and Stajan slammed the gift passed Miller. Rookie nerves? Looked like it to me. 4-1 Leafs.
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
6:58pm- Sabres and Leafs take the ice. TONS of Sundin, Kaberle, Tucker, and Berilko sweaters in the house tonight.
* No "City of Blinding Light's" by U2....hmmmmm....
They've added " She Sells Sanctuary" by one of my favourite groups, THE CULT! Nice!!
"Never Surrender", Foos.
"The Chemicals Between Us", Bush.
GREAT SET OF PUNCH IN THE FACE ROCK!!!
Props to Mike Weber. This playlist is his creation. Nice work, Rook!
I'm ready now! Drop the puck!!
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CONNOLLY TO HAVE SEASON ENDING SURGERY MONDAY
From The Sabres, the ailing Sabres centre will have his hip repaired in Vail, Colorado Monday.
Connolly scored 7 goals and added 40 helpers in 48 games this season.
The guy has sick talent, HOWEVER, he's had his fair share of bad luck in his career.
First with the concussions, ab strains, now The Hip.
Connolly has missed 127 of Buffalo's last 246 games due to injury.
Do you agree with the decision?
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Miller vs. Toskala tonight.
This will be Miller's 28th straight start.
Quick... name me the back-up goalie for the Sabres and Leafs.
Can't do it, eh?
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Sabres Lines:
Stafford-Roy-Vanek
Goose-Hecht-Pommer
Paille-Kotalik- Max
Bernier-Mair-Kaleta.
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ODDS-N-SODS:
The Sabres have 8 games remaining in the regular season.
* Two each against frat buddies Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Boston.
* Sabres are 4-2-0 vs. Toronto this season.
* Buds will play without Big Sundin, Antropov, and Carlo C.
* Jochen Hecht leads all Sabres with 32 (14/18) career points vs. The Leafs.
* Sabres Captain Jason Pominville has 3 goals and 6 assists in his past 3 games.
* Derek Roy has 8 points (2/6) during his four game bender.
* Thomas Vanek's next goal will be his 100th career goal.
* Sabre rookie Dmen Sekera and Weber are a combined +11 in their last 3 games!
* The Sabres are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games.
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