Sabres-Hurricanes: Buffalo Escapes Third Period With 3-1 Win

This was a game you expected the Sabres to win.  They were back home from an impressive and hopefully momentum-building three goal come-back win in a shoot-out over Dallas.

Carolina, on the other hand, had given up 20 goals in losing their last four.  What's more, the Sabres hadn't lost at home to the Hurricanes since 2006.

After a shaky first five minutes, Buffalo began to assert themselves.  Tim Connolly tipped in Lydman's point shot eight minutes in.  Late in the period, ageless wonder Teppo Numminen rang a seeing-eye wrist shot in off the post for a 2-0 lead.

The Sabres continued to dominate in the second period, and had several quality scoring chances including a Vanek opportunity standing all alone about 10 feet out (missed the net), a clean breakaway for Craig Rivet as he exited the penalty box (fired it over the net), and several odd-man rushes where the Sabre carrying the puck failed to make the cross-ice pass to his open team-mate and also failed to shoot.

The Sabres seem to blow a lot of their golden opportunities which has been a cause for concern all season, as sooner or later it always comes back to haunt you.  But when Vanek stole the puck from Rod Brind'Amour and chipped it deftly to Connolly who roofed it top corner for a 3-0 lead, it looked like the Sabres had this one in hand.

Then the Hurricanes scored just 17 seconds into the third and all the good feelings left the building.  The Sabres started chasing the puck with one hand on their sticks and the Hurricanes poured it on.

When the Sabres are playing well, they gain control in their end, make one or two quick, short passes, and break out of their zone.  When the Sabres D starts firing the puck blindly around the boards and their wingers start chasing the opposing forwards, it's panic time.

The Hurricanes controlled the play in the Sabres end, cycling the puck almost without interference.  Only Ryan Miller's heroics managed to keep the Hurricanes from closing the margin as Carolina out-shot Buffalo 19-5 in the final stanza.

With a little more than four minutes left, Hecht took a tripping penalty and Carolina pulled their goalie, giving them a two man advantage.  They stormed the Sabre end and the Sabres could not clear the puck, but Miller was there to withstand the barrage.  

Even when Hecht returned to the ice, and even with an empty net beckoning at the other end, Buffalo could not clear the zone.  But the clock was Sabre's ally and when the final seconds ticked off, the Blue and Gold had survived with a 3-1 victory.  

It was an important win as Carolina is one of the teams challenging for the eighth playoff spot and Buffalo is beginning to eke out a little breathing room in the standings.

Now the Sabres head off on their longest road trip of the season, a challenging six game stretch that takes them first down South and then out West.  

They have won seven of their last 10.  They are definitely playing better, and Ryan Miller has elevated his game.

You'd like to see them convert a few more of their scoring chances.  You'd like to see Kotalik and Pominville get hot.  You'd like to see the Sabres lock down their third period leads with a little less nail-biting tension.

Tonight they won ugly.  The saying goes that good teams are able to win even when they don't bring their best game.  How the Sabres fare over the next six games will go along way to showing if Buffalo is a good team or not.

NOTES:

Connolly's two goals, his first point since coming back from a 34 game absence, were significant for several reasons.  

First, its a hopeful sign that Connolly has his game legs back.  Ruff put him on a line with two scorers, Vanek and Kotalik.  This trio has the potential to put up some good numbers.

Second, Vanek assisted on both of Connolly's goals, giving the Austrian seven helpers in his last eight games.  His scoring may have cooled off, but he is getting opportunities, and when paired with players who can convert his passes, he's a difference maker.  

Third, when the 'Canes took out the Sabres four games to three in 2006 on their way to the Stanley Cup, Rod Brind'Amour was one of the chief villains.  Tonight, he was -2, putting him at -29 for the year.  Time waits for no one.

Numminen's goal gives him two for the season and the team lead among defensemen. That's a sad stat for the Sabres D.  

Teppo took a puck to the face after his goal and did not return.  Hopefully he's okay as the squad is already down one blueliner in Sekera and they need Numminen's firepower.