In case you were wondering before Thursday night, NOW you know why Darcy Regier sought out Steve Ott and made him a Buffalo Sabre back in July.
Ott is an agitator and a sh*t disturber extraordinare.
He's not the biggest dog in the fight, but beware, because he's got the biggest amount of fight. He's a hacker, a slasher, and a nose tweaker.
Poor Ryan White. The kid had no idea that Ott was setting a tasty hunk of cheese in the mousetrap when he chipred and taunted Habs captain Brian Gionta. The Hab yapper ate the cheesy treat whole when after Ott torched him with a solid, clean body check, he threw his gloves down and started firing punched to the top of Ott's helmet. Ott was in total control of the situation. He sucked the kid into the conflict and the kid lost his cool. What resulted was the turning point in the game. Ott told me after the 5-4 Sabres shootout win that he did what he had to do to get his team back into the game, while trailing by two goals early in the third period.
Here's White's reaction to his bone-headed decision to jump Ott.
Thanks, canadiens.nhl.com
Ott wasn't buying what White was selling. He chose to take the high road and put his team ahead of his own adrenaline rush.
White? Yeah, not so much.
"I tried to be physical, obviously, he (White) though I wanted to engage or something like that , and we got a lucky couple power plays. The power play went to work right away. Van's been solid for us, and yet again, he finds a way", Ott said.
Ott scored his second goal of the season in the first period. Beauty spin-o-rama!
He played a solid, physical game throughout. Score a goal. Eat a punch, rile up the other team. Ott doesn't care. He knows what side his bread is buttered on. Hell, he went 6-1 in the faceoff circle against Montreal and the team finished the night at 54% win rate on draws. Maybe Lindy's push-up drills are working afterall.
Ott would sell souvenirs and drive the zamboni of Ruf told him to. He's the son of military parents. He doesn't question authority. He holds himself and other around him accountable.
"If I'm helping to contribute to help this team win then that what I'm here for. We all have roles. We all have jobs to do. We did our jobs tonight. Millsie with a huge job in the shootout, and a huge two points will help us to turn things around here".
Thanks, sabres.com
**
I asked Marcus Foligno if it was like deja vu all over again.
Vanek scored the game-tying goal with 1.9 seconds left on the regulation clock on Thursday night. It reminded me of a similar play when Jordan Leopold scored against the Leafs last season after a wild goal-mouth fracas.
"Yeah, it was similar. This time Komisarek wasn't punching me in the face though", Big Marcus mused.
Buffalo rallied from a two-goal deficit for the second time this season (1/31 at Boston). They overcame a third-period two-goal deficit for the first time since a 6-5 OT win on April 3, 2012 vs. Boston.
With his first goal, Thomas Vanek became the sixth player in Sabres history to reach the 20-point mark in 10 or fewer games played.
With a two-goal night, Vanek has now recorded five multi-point games in his first 10 games played. Dating back to last season, Vanek has 32 points (12+20) in his last 20 games.
Tyler Ennis tied his career high with three points. He now has 101 career points (42 goals and 59 assists) in 151 games.
***
Foligno was all smiles in the Buffalo room after the game. He had every right to be. He got his work boots muddy on the game tying goal.
“It’s just one of those things where you know you have time and you know you want to rush it, so I got a nice pass from the defense in the middle and had space, gave it to Pominville out wide and he dished it back to me and I was able to get a little step on the defense and you have to dish it deep. In those situations you have to go to the front of the net and hopefully get an opportunity. We had Ott and Vanek in there pushing away and it was similar to a goal last year against Toronto. Just stuff like that, you just got to hold onto it for that last second and just throw it in the crease and just get shots on net.”Foligno noted that he made a mistake on the faceoff…
“We had a faceoff and I screwed up and threw back a little too fast and Pominville and our defense were able to get it back. It’s something you just have to get the puck on the net and make sure all five guys are driving to the net. Time was running out and it was a good desperation play.”
***
Tyler Ennis feels like the 82-63-21 line is starting to awaken.
"You saw it tonight, when I'm skatiing as fast as I can, and Marcus and Staff are driving the net, holding pucks, and being physical, thats how we succeed".
Ennis had a goal and two assists, Foligno two assists. Their line was very visible in the shootout win over Montreal.
"We have to keep playing that way. You saw what we can do last season, and we want to show everyone that we can play that way again on a consistent basis".
Enzo was an offensive juggernaut vs. , however, his most proud moment may have been this little piece of playing out of character
Thanks, sabres.com
Ennis was fantastic all the way around, on both sides of the puck.
Vanek shoots, SCORES!!!
Galchenyuk shoots scores
Ennis shoots and Budaj makes save
Bourque shoots, no goal
Pommer shoots, SCORES!
Gionta shoots misses
Sabres win
***
Overtime:
Habs have dead legs in OT having played Boston in Montreal last night.
***
3rd Period:
4-4
1.9 seconds remaining, Miller on the bench for the extra attacker....
A mass of humanity sat in Budaj's crease... Ott, Foligno, Ennis and Vake all jam for the loose puck..... Its a goal!
Vanek somehow gets his stick on that loose puck and scores the tying goal with 1.9 seconds remaining. Goal was reviewed.
Good goal.
***
Trailing by two goals and seemingly slipping into the abyss, Steve Ott took matter into his own hands when he chirped, hacked and slashed Habs captain Brian Gionta right in front of me. At the end of the shift, Ott wasted Ryan White with a clean hip check on the Buffalo wall. White dropped his gloves and proceeded to punch the top of Ott's helmet. when the fracas was sorted out, Ott went to Buffalo bench laughing while White sat four minutes for being a tool.
Leaders lead. Followers follow.
Ott led his teammates by eating a couple of punches for the cause. If only they all played with Ott's passion and tenacity.
4-3 Habs
Vanek scores off a sweet feed from Ennis. FINALLY, a Buffalo PPG.
***
Tyler Myers was on the ice for both Montreal even strength goals.
Oops, make that three even strength goals.
4-2 Habs
Drew Stafford does a good thing by stealinga puck off of Rene Bourque in the Montreal zone. Stafford does a stupid thing by giving it back to Bourque, who immediately threads a pass to Gionta who finds a streaking Plekanec. Shot.... save... nope, squairts through Miller's gear.
Goal.
***
3-2 Habs
Sabres PP is 0-16 in a row.
Why do you think they call them "special teams"?
The difference in this game is that Montreal has converted their one 5-on3 PP, while Buffalo has not.
****
2nd Period:
3-2 Habs
Ott saying PK is a Pez dispenser.o the bin. Otter's twig may or may not have grazed Subban's helmet. Subban sold it like George Clloney. Ref sends Ott to the bin.
5 on 3 PP MTL. Here come the make up calls..
Miller big save on Pacioretty point blank on door step; Sabres fail to clear, puck ends up in net
Guess who?
The Subbanator.
***
2-2
Just 35 seconds later, Tyler Ennis streaks down the left wing wall, then tears ass to Budaj's office with a puck on his twig. Enzo buries it under the cross bat. Beauty. Tie ball game!
***
2-1 Habs:
Brendan Gallagher accepts a cross-seam pass then beats Miller glove high. Looked like a tip by Galchenyuk.
***
The Sabres PP is comatose. Has been for the past four games.
Ohfer 4 tonight. Ohfer past 15 dating back to Montreal blowout loss.
Sabres PP plays like its been been dosed with Robitussin
****
I had a great chat with Amerks forward Zemgus Grigensons in the first period intermission. He's been sidelined with a concussion for the past ten games. He was slammed from behind by Syracuse Crunch numb skull, Richard Panik, in January.
"It was scary. The first three days I didn't feel well at all. I felt terrible. I took it slowly. Now, I feel great. I really do. I've been skating all this week in Buffalo and I think I can play next week."
The former first round pick told me that he's lucky that his injury wasn't worse than it really was.
"I went to the doctor in Michigan last week and he told me that he's so surprised to see the progress that I have made. i have a strong brain (laughing). He said that some guys are not able to heal as quickly as I have. I guess I'm lucky to have good genes, or something".
While his Amerks mates are touring through Western Canada, Z is chillin at the crib in B-Lo.
Girgo is chompin at the bit to get himself cleared to play again. He misses the grind.
Nice push back by Buffalo. Down a goal, they righted the wrong in rapid fire fashion.
@4:26 Mikhail Grigorenko applied smothering forecheck to turn pover a puck behind Budaj.. Hecht threads a a beauty of a pass to Ott who promply throws a perfect spin-o-rama shot at Budaj's feet and the puck squirted through the Montreal backup goaler.
Moments after his goal, Ott's fiancee, @EricaRene4, tweeted:
Looks like my man did what everyone said!! SCORED ME A GOAL FOR MY BIRTHDAY!! @otterN9NE
***
@4:11:
Mike Weber smokes Rene Bourque on the wall with a heavy hit, however, the puck finds Plekanec while in top flight to the net. His wrister beat Miller.
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