The Buffalo room was abuzz after the 5-1 victory.
I walked through the door to see an animated Ryan Miller heckling Jaro Spacek for the Sabre Dman's Ovechkin-like-chest-bump-on-the-glass post goal celebration. "I saw you jump four feet up the wall....hilarious", Miller laughed. Spacho's chest was puffed up, and well it should have been, as he and his mates were basking in the glory of a much needed Buffalo win on home ice against their bitter rival.
Miller and the rest of the Sabres were revelling in Patty Lalime's 37 save win over the listless Habs.
"Great win against a great team", Miller remarked. He's bang on.
The Canadiens pinned their ears back and they came after the Sabres from the minute the red carpert was rolled up off the ice after the anthems. At one point late in the first period, Montreal had pelted Buffalo 18 shots on Lalime, to Buffalo's 3 on Price. Lalime was money, amking save after save on Kovalev, Schneider and the Kostitsyns. The majority of the Montreal shot damage came as a result of Buffalo minor penalties to Gaustad, Roy, and Sekera.lalime and the Buffalo PKers held down the fort until they could get back to playing 5 on 5 hockey. Then, their first break of the game presented itself. Matthieu Schneider's delay of game penalty late in the third agve Buffalo their first PP of the game, and at 17:53 of the period, Roy scored his 23rd of the season. The PPG would propel Buffalo to the 1-0 lead, despite the disparity of shots.
"We wanted to get pucks to the net, and we did that. I thought that we did a great job of it in the second period, too", Derek Roy told me after the game.
Habs coach Guy Carbonneau thought his team started like gangbusters, then faded in the final forty.
"We took 18 shots in the period, and we were all over them", a dejected Guy Carbonneau commented after the game. " We dominate a period like that, go down a goal, then we do not control the momentum in the second period. Its been happening like that a lot lately... maybe they are tired. We'll meet with them tomorrow and figure it out", Carbo said with a snarl.
I smell a Montreal Bag Skate on the menu!
****
I rolled up on newly minted Sabre, Dominic Moore, just as he was introducing himself to Mr. Golisano and Larry Quinn. Moore was all smiles as he exchanged pleasantries with his new bosses.
Moore politely excused himself and obliged the waiting media.
I got it on good authority that Darcy Regier assisted Moore to the Buffalo room midway throughthe third period of the game. I'm told that Darcy was carrying Moore's sticks--- pretty eager to get him in the lineup, eh Darcy? Moore was help up at customs pending he proper documentation.
"Its funny", Moore said beaming ear to ear. "I had the game on the radio on my way down the QEW and I could not wait to get here to meet the boys!"
Darcy carried the twigs while Moore toted his own gear-- in a Toronto Maple Leaf bag! So, fess up, what'd you do with the enemy blue bag?
"I'm sure there's a fire pit back there (pointing to the equipment room) that they can put it in", Moore joked.
Thornhill is Moore's hometown and its only a Par 5 from Buffalo. Moore told me that he has fond memories of Buffalo from his youth hockey days.
"I came here a lot as a kid for tournaments-- it seems like every other weekend! I'm looking forward to joining ths team".
Moore is one of three boys who excelled in school and in the game of hockey. All three boys played hockey for the Harvard Crimson, and all three were terrific students. Moore's brother, Steve was the player embroiled in the Todd Bertuzzi in incident several years back.
You parents want a solid role model for your scholar athlete son or daughter? Dominic Moore is your man.
Moore can't wait to join his new teammates on the ice at Thursday's practice. He likes what he sees of his new squad and he can't wait to lace 'em up.
"This is a very good hockey team. The last two times Toronto played them, I thought man, thats a team thats going to be ough to beat. They always play extremely well, and I'm excited to join them".
Moore told me that this was a long day, with many ebbs and flows, that he's happy has come to an end. One minute he's headed to Chicago, next minute Pittsburgh. He knew he'd be dealt when Ron Wilson and Brian Burke sat he and Nik antropov out of the Devils game earlier this week. "Seemed imminent to me", he said.
Moore's glad its all over now.
"There's so much rumour and speculation.. when you're on the air for ten hours straight on TSN, they've gotta keep it up somehow. Like I say, whats done is done , and I'm looking forward to it!"
The kid makes a tremendous first impression!
***
Max Afinogenov deserves a thunderous ovation for his performance vs. Montreal. He was a difference maker at both ends of the 200 by 85. He was fater on the back check than he was on the rush-- and he was FLYING for 60 minutes on the attack! 61 was dynamic in that he hit, he skated, he won wall battles, he used his speed, he got pucks to the net, and was taking 30-35 second shifts. WOW! The guy was brilliant.
His simple dump play in the right corner led to Roy's second goal when Paille recovered it and sent it tape to tape to Roy on the doorstep.
Great game, Max!
*****
****
The Sabres scored two PPG--- one by Roy, the other by Goose. 28 also chipped in a shorty for good measure.
****
Guy Carbonneau was not sugar coating his feelings after the loss.
"We had a great start. We had 18 shots, I thought we played a great first period. Yeah, we were down by one goal, but, we had chances. We went to the net and did not get the bounces that we maybe deserved. we were frustrated. I thought overall that we were Ok, just we were not able to sustain it in the second period".
When asked if such a let down from one period to the next, Carbo remarked:
"It is troubling. I think its happened over the course of the year. at this time of the year, tis is our Playoff spot, ya know? We're battling for this and if we're not able to sustain the energy and the focus, then there's something wrong. We're tired or not in shape. Again, we'll go back to the drawing board and talk to them tomorrow and see what we can do to get it better.
Carey Price's performance was burning a hole in Carbo's gt and you can tell he was miffed about it afterwards.
"What can you say? Right now, his game id definitely not up to par. He's only won two games in his last 13 or 14 games..."
Carbo's right. Price hadn't won a game since February 3 vs. Pittsburgh. Thats more than a month worth of hockey. The Buffalo start was his first since February 21.
Carbo's not ready to throw just Price under le bus:
"He's not the only one to blame. Again, with the first period that we had, not to come back in the seciond period and play as well boggles my mind right now.
Price will have bench time to ponder his prolonged slump.
Jaro Halak is feeling better and will start vs. Atlanta Thursday night.
Alex Tanguay will retun this weekend after sitting out 26 games.
****
Join the Discussion:
»