The Buffalo Sabres were down early in this game, but rallied to score twice in the second period, eventually forcing overtime against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Sabres and Leafs added another chapter to their wild 2013 rivalry.
But the whole game pales in comparison to what Buffalo blue liner Christian Ehrhoff was able to do just 32 seconds into overtime. With a waning power play, the Sabres won the face off and the puck squeaked out to Tyler Myers. Myers held and passed across to Ehrhoff, who drifted into the slot and ripped a low slap shot that found its way to the nylon. Impressive enough, sure, but watch what happens when the puck leaves Ehrhoff's stick.
Ohhhhh SNAP! And could James Reimer'shave left that five-hole any wider open?
The Sabres earn points number 12 and 13 on the season with their sixth win, while the Leafs earn a point to tie the Montreal Canadiens for fourth place in the Atlantic. Montreal and Toronto will square off Saturday night to break the tie, while Buffalo goes into New Jersey to take on the Devils, who are 6-4-0 over their last 10 games.
The boys are back. Boston hosted its first sporting event since Monday's Marathon bombings in the form of a Bruins-Sabres game at the TD Garden, with Buffalo coming out on top after a 3-2 shootout win. But the focus was not on the winner of Wednesday's game, rather the spectacle of the game itself.
On Monday, the Bruins players were all at the Garden for their game against the Senators before it was postponed due to the attack a few hours before puck drop. With the players gathered, they had an opportunity to talk about what had transpired on Boylston Street and how they would react as a team. Coming into Wednesday's contest, they knew what this city needed.
"The only thing we can do is play the game to give Boston something to be happy about," said B's center David Krejci. "It's been an emotional last few days. Just like everybody else, I had just one channel on the TV the last couple of days."
Before the game started, Boston had plenty to be happy and proud about. A video tribute to the victims and first responders was shown, followed by Rene Rancourt and the Boston Fire Department Honor Guard entering the rink for the national anthem. As you can see in the video above, Rancourt didn't have to do much singing as the Garden crowd was more than ready to show just how Boston Strong they were.
"I know its a tough time right now, we know that," said winger Brad Marchand. "For them to come out and support us, to take their minds off everything for a couple of hours and come in tonight, we just wanted to say thanks. We're thinking of everyone and they're in our thoughts and prayers."
The Bruins fought hard throughout the game, with Daniel Paille and Chris Kelly each notching a goal, but it was an Andrew Ference penalty with just under a minute in the third period that led to a Sabres power play goal that would tie things at 2-2 before the final horn. Sabres goalie Ryan Miller stood tall, stopping all four attempts in the shootout, while Anton Khudobin stopped three before Drew Stafford slipped one in between the Bruins backstop's pads.
"It's emotional for me as well, as an American," said Miller. "We like to play, but there are bigger things. I think the way people have stepped up and tried to help, tried to do the right things, you can tell that this is only going to make us stronger."
The Bruins locked up a spot in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the point from the shootout loss, but just getting back to hockey in Boston was the most important thing on their minds.
"You feel that this is your home, that this is what you represent as a professional organization," head coach Claude Julien said. "The first thing you want to do is help out, and you do the best you can. We did that for Newtown, and I'll tell you what, there wasn't a better feeling than going there and trying to spread some joy and put smiles on some people's faces.
"Our goal is to do the same thing here with this city and everyone that was involved in this tragedy."
UPDATE: For those of you who cannot see the video above, here is another version on YouTube.
It is not a great year to be a professional coach in Buffalo.
The Bills fired their head coach Chan Gailey just as the new year was getting underway, and now the Sabres, after a 6-10-1 start, have let go of the NHL's longest-tenured coach, Lindy Ruff.
Ruff will no longer have the opportunity to pass San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich for the longest tenured coach in North American pro sports -- Popovich started with the Spurs in 1996, a year earlier than Ruff. The Sabres, arguably one of the toughest teams in the league with one of the best goalies in the league, have sputtered to a 3-7-0 record in their last 10, and a change was in the cards.
Ryan Miller spoke following their Tuesday night loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
"We’re not giving them the caliber of hockey this city deserves," he said. "Yeah, we deserve to get booed. From the top down, every player."
There has been no word on who will replace Ruff, but there will be at least an interim coach in place by their Thursday night game against division opponent Toronto.
By now, most of you have seen the fight between Boston Bruins energy liner Shawn Thornton and Buffalo Sabres goon John Scott that took place that took place at the end of January. It was an ugly scrap right off of a face-off that left Thornton with a concussion. Standing six inches taller and outweighing Thornton by 50 pounds, Scott is a menace on the ice, and one such player that may make NHL lawmakers' ears stand up.
When I was watching the game, NESN play-by-play announcer Jack Edwards told viewers that Scott averages just over three minutes of ice time a game under head coach Lindy Ruff in Buffalo. About half the team averages that much in man-advantage time alone. Writing this article, I want to ask "how and why is this guy even allowed on the ice?" It is not just his size -- Zdeno Chara stands an inch taller -- and its not just his weight -- Derek Boogaard weight just a few pounds over 270 in his day -- but it is the way that Scott plays the game that makes him such a danger. Especially to other players.
Now, I know a good number of Sabres fans, and I want them to know that I'm not simply complaining about Scott putting a beat down on number 22. I can live with that, honestly. Its not very often that the guy who solely trains as a boxer during the offseason gets knocked down, but when he does, its usually a pretty ugly scuffle.
I'm stating my case against Scott because as an avid fan of the game, this sort of thing scares me. No, not that someone-getting-their-face-bashed-in-thing, but the thought that a fight like this could be evidence for more rule changes implemented in the NHL. Players know the risks when they play this game. This isn't meant to sound like I'm yelling down from my pulpit with a decision as to whether these gladiators should live or die, but ask any borderline hockey fan what their favorite part of the game is. If they don't say the fighting, they're lying.
Tuesday night, the Tampa Bay Lightning took on the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly. Two major fights broke out that could be filed along with Scott's. The first pit Zac Rinaldo against BJ Crombeen and the second was between veterans Vincent Lecavalier and Max Talbot. In both knuckle dusters, late punches were thrown, the heaviest of which came from Rinaldo and landed on Crombeen's head as he was clearly down and out of the fight. Crombeen got up in a complete daze, and it almost looked like he didn't even realize those last two had landed.
This season, the number of tripping, interference and hand pass calls have spiked because of new rule changes. Thornton knew the risk of fighting a 6'8", 270 pounder, and he'll never really know better than not to. Players who don't know better will eventually force the league to step up in an effort to protect players on some level.
When a guy's eyes roll back in his head, he drops like a sack of hammers and still gets clocked -- twice no less -- not only are the Lightning not going to forget that, but I don't think the NHL lawmakers will be skipping over that highlight, either.
