“It was like a playoff game” - Sabres 3, Flyers 2
So said Sabres coach Lindy Ruff tonight at HSBC Arena, as the Philadelphia Flyers came to town. The hype meter was off the wall, as former Sabres Martin Biron and Daniel Briere were making their first return to Buffalo since their departures last season.
Both received warm applause during the warmups and intros, but the adulation quickly turned to boos once the game started, especially when Briere touched the puck during play.
For the pregame, the game night staff pitched the “Say Hey Say Yeah” flick, and instead showed a pretty good video montage titled “The Rivalry Continues”, rolling out highlight reel moments between these two teams. While the memorable playoff goals and OT triumphs were fun to watch, goalies Garth Snow and Steve Shields going at it in the ’97 playoffs is the signature memory seared in my mind. Good stuff!
The game took on a physical tone early on, with both teams throwing punishing hits and checks, and while Philadelphia seemed to have the early edge in that department, Buffalo then took control of the play. At 11:41, Marty Biron made an incredible save on a rebound shot by Paul Gaustad, stopping the puck literally in midair on the goal line. Even Drew Stafford’s goal at 17:51 required a video review, as the puck crossed the goal line before Derek Roy tapped it with his stick while in the net. At the end of the first Buffalo led 1-0.
That lead disappeared in the second, as Buffalo came out looking sluggish, and bang bang goals by Jeff Carter and Jeffrey Lupul gave the Flyers a 2-1 led. Buffalo had two power plays in the second period but could not convert. Danny Briere was called for two minutes early on, drawing cheers from the crowd, and got even a louder cheer when Jaroslav Spacek laid Briere out on a Philly power play late in the 2nd.
Ales Kotalik’s one timer from above the left circle early in the third tied the score at two, reigniting the energy in the building. From there the game went end to end with entertaining edge of your seat action. At 5:27 Spacek slammed Scottie Upshall with the hit of the season, but was called for a lame interference penalty on the play. Spacek was a maniac on the ice tonight and deservedly was awarded the game’s first star. Said Ruff, “This might have been his best game ever.”
Buffalo took the lead for good at 17:09, when Jochen Hecht tipped in a rebound in the slot. Philadelphia then pulled their goalie with 90 seconds to go, but Buffalo stymied any offensive threat by the Flyers, and the game ended 3-2 Sabres.
A happy Lindy Ruff held a lengthy postgame conference, savoring the moment and calling many reporters by their first name as he responded. He spoke at length about winning the little battles, and how a hit here and a good pass there can change the tone of a game.
The Sabres won’t have long to savor this one - they head to Philly for the back end of the home and home tomorrow night at 7PM at the Wachovia Center. But as they board the team plane tonight, they do so as the East’s 6th seed. How sweet it is!
