Buffalo Sabres at Calgary Flames: Post Game Report

After laying a beating on the hometown Edmonton Oilers in a 10-2 win on Tuesday night, the Buffalo Sabres rolled into Calgary, hoping to continue their winning ways.  But playing their second game in as many nights proved to be too much for the Eastern Conference team, as the Flames earned a 5-2 victory.

The Flames, who were playing in their first game after the All Star Break, got out to an early lead 3:51 into the game on a power play goal by Mike Cammalleri, who picked up his own rebound to net his first of three on the night on Sabres Ryan Miller. 

The score was 1-0 after one period of play.

At 4:10 of the second period, Flames defensemen Dion Phaneuf netted his fifth of the season, pinching in and taking a hard shot from in close on Ryan Miller that somehow got through.  At 11:43, Buffalo got on the board on a Drew Stafford goal that got by Flames Miikka Kiprusoff.  Late in the second, at the 19:01 mark while on the power play, Sabres Tim Connolly scored his eighth of the season and the visitors drew even. 

It was 2-2 after two frames. 

In the third period, the Flames scored three unanswered goals, the first coming at 7:08 on a partial  breakaway by Todd Bertuzzi.  That third goal ended up being the game winner, however Mike Cammalleri netted two in the third period, less than two minutes apart at 11:44 and 13:08.  The Sabres managed only five shots on net in the third period. 

The game ended 5-2. 

After the game, Bertuzzi  described his game winning goal.  “The puck was rolling around quite a bit so I wanted to make sure I got a decent play off.  I thought I’d change it up and try the forehand roof.”

With his three goal performance, Mike Cammalleri earned his second hat trick of the year.  “It’s going in for me right now.  It feels pretty good when the puck’s going in like that and it does a lot for the confidence.” 

Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff who stopped 25 of 27 shots in the victory, and improves his overall record to 19-12-3 on the year.  He credits the win to having a good start in the first period.

“We had a great start.  It was a pretty close game.  They played last night so we knew that we had to keep playing hard and we were able to turn it around in the third period.  And in the third period we controlled the game pretty much.  They had a couple of chances.  They hit the post a few of times.  But we were lucky there too”

Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller, who falls to 23-13-4, was impressed with the play of his teammates, but is quick to take credit for his part in the loss.  “We did a great job in the second period of getting back into it.  They bailed me out after a bad goal and no matter what the shots on goal are, it’s my job to keep the boys in the game and give the boys a chance to win.  Unfortunately I don’t’ feel like I did that tonight”

The Flames next game is on Friday night when they play host to the Nashville Predators.  The Sabres, they continue their road trip and will play in Phoenix  versus the Coyotes on Saturday, before heading to Anaheim on Monday to face the Ducks. 

http://www.nhl.com/ice/boxscore.htm?id=2008020713