Buffalo did everything right, except shut down Jiri Hudler.
Ryan Miller stoned the speedy sniper on a breakaway in the second period. The save preserved Buffalo's 2-0 lead. Miller was Buffalo's best player, and had to be from the drop of the puck because the Wings are experts in getting pucks deep, cycling, and getting quick shots on net off the cycle. They crash the blue ice like no other team in the NHL, so your goaltender and D have to know what to do with loose pucks and rebounds nbecause mistakes will kill you. Miller's rebound control was exquisite and thepuck stuck to him. He made 35 saves, many of the difficult variety.
It was a perfect performance by Miller and his mates. Lindy Ruff's well-executed game plan was working to a tee. From the first shift to the last, the Buffalo forwards came back to help out. The third man stayed high to defend against the up-the-gut breakout that leads to oddman rushes. The D were sterling while under durress, as Jordan Leopold was a late scratch due to illness, which meant that youngsters Chris Butler, Reggie Sekera, and Mike Weber, would be getting big ice time against the Harlem Globetrotters of hockey. I feel like the youngsters acquitted themselves well under adverse conditions and I'll give them an "A" for their efforts. Sekera scored the first goal of the game, and assisted on Grier's. Left me wondering where THAT guy has been all season long. In all, the Buffalo D were stout and stiff, and they were physical on the Detroit forwards. I like how Myers and Morrisonn were especially tough on Zetterberg and Datsyuk.
Sabres storm out to a bang-bang 2-0 lead, which amped up the adrenaline inside HSBC Arena to near euphoric levels. The challege for Buffalo was evident: keep tacking on more golas while holding the fort against the Wings chances. This approach would betray Buffalo because the Wings know how to come back from two goal deficits. They are a model of patience and consistency. They will wait til you make a mistake and then they will make you pay for it. That they did on Datsyuk's snipe.
Then, with 58 seconds left in regulation, Hudler jumped off the Detroit bench and clanked a perfect bar-down shot off the cross bar and off the back of Miller to force OT. Sniped.
Full marks to Buffalo for giving Detroit "65 minutes of Hell". I like the way Buffalo started, and howo they competed each shift thereafter they took the 2-0 lead. Babcock locked thing down and made it difficult for the Sabres to get shots therough to MacDonald. Its as if Detroit had six goalies on the ice, with all three forwards and both D collapsing to the slot area to block pucks and to deny shots from getting through.
Carolina lost in regulation to Montreal and Buffalo now trails the Canes by only two points for the eighth and final Playoff spot in the East.
Take the point and get on the road to the seven game roadie.
I caught up with Hudler in the Detroit room after he scored the tying goal in regulation, and, the shootout winner.
Darcy Regier will continue to work in earnest all day Sunday and on Monday. He's met with his scouts and is in the market to acquire a game-changer, or two for the stretch run.
A first line centre is high atop his list of priorities. However, he's not the only GM looking for a difference-maker at the centre position. There aren't many available who meet the Buffalo pre-requisites: skilled playmaker who can play five on five, PP, PK, with years left on contract. Darcy is not interested in mortgaging the future for a rental player who he may or may not sign on July 1.
On Friday night, I spoke with a source who told me that he thought Vancouver's Cody Hodgson may be a target player for Buffalo as the deadline nears. The former Brampton Battalion scoring star was recently recalled to Couver from Manitoba to centre the fourth line on the fully loaded Canucks. Recently, his coach, Alain Vigneault, has been running three centres , with Ryan Kesler, Hank Sedin, and Manny Malhotra getting all of the work. On Tuesday night in Couver, Hodgson played a pawltry four minutes and change. His coach rode the red hot Kesler, and the smooth as silk Sedin-Malhotra combo. Its likely that Vigneault will only rely on three centres in the Playoffs. He rolled four in the 2010 Playoffs and ended up getting bounced with the inconsistent former Canuck Kyle Wellwood losing key faceoffs in key times of games. The Canucks are committed to playing Kesler, Sedin, and Malhotra a ton down the stretch and into the Playoffs. They are built for a deep Cup run, and it appears as though Hodgson may not even see the ice. How can a skilled kid crack the top two lines and PP on an All Star team like Couver?
Maybe its time for a change. The kid's skill made him the tenth overall pick in the 2010 draft. He's 6'1 and 190, and he excels five on five and on the PP. His favourite player is Sidney Crosby and his idol is Steve Yzerman. This kid has the goods to play a high profile role. Question is, would Couver GM, Mike Gillis, consider a trade? I'm hearing that Gillis is satisfied with his multi-talented forward corps. He's looking for upgrades on his beaten up backend. in recent weeks, the Canucks have been besieged by a rash of injuries to key D like Hamhuis and Ballard. They are slowly getting healthy on D, however, you can never have enough NHL quality Dmen on your roster, especially iof your team is built to win a Cup this season.
Keep an eye on Hodgson. Perhaps a change will do him good. If not now, then this Summer.
Mike Modano had to sit out 41 stratight games before Saturday night with a nasty wrist injury.H e was cut by the skate blade of CBUS' RJ Umbereger and was forced to go on the injured list.
Modano is pushing forty, and here he talks about his contributions to his team's 3-2 Shootout win in Buffalo:
The long and winding road awaits the Sabres. If they are going to make the Playoffs, they will have to win games in regulation away from HSBC Arena. This team responds well to road challenges and will have to play near-perfect hockey in this next big stretch.
Buffalo play their next seven games on road beginning Tuesday night inside MSG vs. NY Rangers. Then, its a head to header with the Staal-less Canes in Raleigh.
Here's the schedule:
Tuesday 3/1 in NY.
Thursday 3/3 in Raleigh.
Saturday 3/5 matinee in Philly.
Sunday 3/6 in Minnesota
Tuesday 3/8 in Blitzburgh
Thursady 3/10 in Boston
Saturday 3/12 in Tronna
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