Archives for April 3, 2001

OK, so it's not Detroit's 22-10-6-2. It's not New Jersey's 22-8-6-3. And it's not Colorado's 23-9-5-2. But Buffalo's 20-18-2-1 record on the road this season, their first winning record away from home since 1993-94 and only their fourth in the last 20 years, has no reason to feel like it doesn't belong in that elite class.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Jason Woolley paid a huge compliment to fellow blue-liner Alexei Zhitnik on Monday night.

'It was a busy day in South Florida. The King and Queen of Spain were in Miami. A major fire started in the Everglades. The Martina Hingis stalker trial started. And the Florida Marlins played their season opener at Pro Player Stadium. Oh, yes. There also was a hockey game, and considering the sparse crowd in the National Car Rental Center (announced as 13,211), not many people here cared.'

'One team is in a pitched battle for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The other is playing out the final days of a forgettable season. Was there any doubt which would bring its "A" game to the National Car Rental Center Monday night?'

'Buffalo's Jason Woolley, the purely offensive defenseman whom the Panthers traded 4 1/2 years ago, had two goals and an assist while directing the Sabres' power play. The directionless Panthers power play once again went zero-for-the-evening and allowed a shorthanded goal on the game's pivotal power play.'

‘A four-minute power play is what disabled the Panthers on Monday night as a chance to tie turned into a shorthanded goal for Buffalo as the Sabres knocked off the Panthers 5-3.’

'Jason Woolley, a defenseman who had three goals in his previous 65 games, had two goals and an assist to lead surging Buffalo to a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers on Monday night.'

'The Sabres climbed one point ahead of idle Philadelphia into fourth place in the East, which carries with it home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.'

'The Sabres moved past the Flyers into fourth place in the Eastern Conference with the win, and should Buffalo win their final three games at HSBC Arena, they will be guaranteed home-ice advantage in an increasingly likely playoff series against Philadelphia.'

'The Panthers can't wait for the season to end, especially after two dismal performances tonight against Buffalo and Friday night in a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.'