Spandrel

The Isles are definitely content to try and drag this action into the corners and slow the high-flying Sabres down, but when Buffalo can't get some flow, they are finding some good shots. I have a feeling that we'll be seeing a lot of this all year.

Briere scores!!!!!! 2-1 BUFFALO! Miller makes a great save on the 2-1 rush and kicks it out to Briere who takes it all the way up and goes 5-hole on R. DiP.

Slashing on Nokelainen from the Isles. Sabres on the PP, but just gave up a 2-1 short-handed rush.

I miss Rick's excitement. He is extra amped up tonight. He is a big fan of the wide open game, I'm guessing. ;) 2nd period underway...

Yeah, Time Warner, here in Rochester, gets the direct feed from MSG, so I'm getting to hear the game called right. ;)

Ooh, thanks for the heads up on the free Center Ice for week 1. I've got the Devils/Pens game on now during the 1st intermission.

End of the 1st period, and so far, so not bad. Miller looked solid in the pipes. The team has got to limit these Power Plays for the Isles, though they haven't allowed a PP goal, technically. This will come back to burn them, if they don't sharpen up.

Isles are definitely having trouble with the Vanek-Briere-Dumont line. Buf just got called for hooking and are going SH'ed for the 4th time (Numminen) with 1:31 to go in the 1st. So much for Lindy Ruff's "disciplined approach".

He just flattened Jason Blake, and the roof nearly blew off of HSBC.

Zhitnik has taken about 4 shots on this PP, alone. Miller looks good on these PP's. Satan was just stoned on one of the rebounds. The fans are booing Satan every time he touches it. :P

Lydman took the shot, and Dumont deflected it in and got the credit. Sabres are hammering DiPietro on this PP. Hecht, Grier, and Connolly have had shots, but DiPietro is playing well. Connolly just blew a wide open one timer on that PP. DiPietro made an awesome save. Buffalo's Lydman just got tagged for high-sticking (another zero tolerance penalty) and Buff is SH'ed now.

Half-way through the first period, and the teams have essentially swapped power play goals. The Sabres came off a rocket from Lydman at the line that was deflected in by Dumont. The Isles' goal came at the end of their first power play as the teams were at full strength when Numminen failed to clear the puck and Campoli swatted in a rebound after the team over-aggressively chased the puck into the corner. Just now, Gaustad missed a shot in front of the net that would have given the Sabres a short-handed goal. The team is skating well, but have suffered a couple of dumb penalties. Miller has made some good saves on the 2 power plays, and has looked good. The rebound came out a little far, and Campoli had a clean line to the net for that goal. 7:00 to go in the 1st period and Niiniimaa just got nabbed with a new ticky-tack holding penalty and is headed to the bin.