Eric Staal was all smiles in the Carolina room after his team's 4-3 win in Buffalo. He had every right to be. His team out worked the Sabres for 52 of the 60 minutes and skated out the zamboni door with two points.
"This was a good win for us. We wanted to earn two points froma good team like Buffalo".
Staal extended his 11 game point streak by scoring 3 seconds into the second period to give the Canes a 2-1 lead. His linemates, Jussi Jokinen and Ray Whitney were full value in the win. Miller misplayed Jokinen's harmless shot on goal late in the game. Game over.
Staal has been one of the hottest players in the NHL for the past month. He's healthy now, and ever since he was hranted the 'C", he's been a man possessed.
"I feel great and I'm getting a lot of chances. I'm thankful that my linemates are getting me the puck in scoring areas".
"We've been playing well since our line was put together. Those two guys are good at holding pucks and opening up lanes and big chunks of ice for me to skate and create in".
Roy wins faceoff vs. Staal. Staal misses the open net!
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Timeout Buffalo with 51 seconds left...
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Lindy pulls Miller with 80 seconds remaining.
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4-3 Canes
Jussi Jokinen beats Miller on what first appeared to be a harmless shot from the perimeter. Miller commits the "E6".
Staal and Gleason with assists.
****
@ 10:03, Clarke MacArthur, driving the lane with a head of steam, looking for the pass from Grier, is upended and checked into Legace. Shoulda been interference on the canes. Instead, mac sits two for goaltender interference. Bad call.
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3-3
@ 8:23, Carolina cycle their way to their third goal. Cullen to Samsonov to Kostopolus, all alone in Miller's crease for the tap in. Nice wall work.
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3-2 Buffalo
KNUCKLEPUCK! PUCK LUCK! CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL.
@ 2:58, Staff scores! His second of the game from Vanek and Sekera.
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2-2
@ :58 seconds, Drew Stafford dots the "i" and crosses the "t". one timer from close range for the tie. Assists to Vanek and Sekera.
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2-1 Canes
Ray Whitney bodies his way through the Buffalo D. Finds staal in the left corner... Staal walks it out through the blue and five holes Miller. Where's the puck support?!!
2nd Period:
@ 17:35, Pitkanen strikes AGAIN. Time to get busy!
@ 14:16, Joni Pitkanen sits two or less for holding....
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4 on 4 once mmore...
@ 9:51, Tyler Myers negates the Buffalo PP for the second time tonight.
@ 9:17, Aaron ward sits. Buffalo PP.
Buffalo are a listless group right now. Now piss. No vinegar.
In Portland tonight, Tyler Ennis has scored. He looks sweet in Blue and Gold. Ennis has 17 plums and 30 apples this season. 47 points in 50 games. Not bad, eh?
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Samsonov send Sabres to 5 on 4 man advantage.... hold it.... Tyler Myers negates it. Then, a blink of an eye later, Stafford slashed Cullen and the Sabres are no short handed.
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Buffalo had better get their feet moving early or else this Canes team will hang around for the next 40 minutes.
@ 18:35 Reggie listens to my advice and feeds the net. Hecht is in the low post to deflect it behind Legace. No tip. Its all Reggie. His fourth of the season and second in his past two games.
****
The Canes are less sleepy and less dopey here in the first period. They are beating Buffalo to loose pucks and they appear to be the team that wants this game more than Buffalo does. Advantage Canes.
Oh, by the way, Manny legace uis a sieve. he's a .310 GAA and a .897 save %. SHOOT THE F'IN PUCK!
*****
1-0 Canes
I cannot believe that they just let 76 year old Aaron Ward to beat Miller. They guy skates like a freakin glacier. His hands are just as slow, if not slower. Kennedy screwed the pooch on the Boychuk play down low.
****
Very little flow to this game early on. Virtually no hitting by both teams. Its a docile affair early on.
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@ 7:21, Miller makes point blank save on Zach Boychuk from the left faceoff circle.
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Stafford-Roy-Vanek faired none better.
Mac-Goose-Grier take the game's first penalty. Hook on Grier @ 2:36.
@ 2:55, Staal does Buffalo a favour with his lazy hooking penalty. 4 on 4....
Back to 5 on 5.
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Shots on goal 1 apiece after 5:19 played. Carolina are content to slow the pace to a crawl.
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7:11pm: Manny Legace just took a slapper off the throat and he is hurt. The trainers rushed to the crease and the warmup was shut down prematurely. There are only four canes left on the ice right now. Rookie, Justin Peters, who played at St. Mike's in Tronna, is still on the ice. He's never played in an NHL game and he might be pressed into the game tonight. More to come....
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7:05pm: I just passed Carolina GM, Jim Rutherford, in the press box. Rutherford has said on the record that he believes that 505 of his present rosetr will be in training camp this September.
Say buh-bye to: Whitney, Nik Wallin, Aaron Ward, Stephane "Rebel" Yelle, Matt Cullen, Rod Brind Amour, Samsonov, and more.
I like Whitney, Cullen and Wallin. Its time to make a deal.
Wallin was rumoured to be heading to San Jose, however, I was just informed that he was seeking an extension from Doug Wilson and the deal has hit an impasse.
Wallin was scratched in Calgary and will also sit out tonight Eric Cole and wallin are seated behind me. I'll seek them out for comment and report back my findings.
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