BetweenThePipes00

definitely more up and down now ... they are giving up chances but getting plenty too, not like the second period ... the Connolly-kotalik-afinogenov line is playing well in the third...

Drury and Connolly both missed on point-blak chances off the rush ... at least Connolly hit the net ... Drury appeared to shoot it over the top without it being deflected ... looks like he is pressing, tryinig to make the perfect shot ...

2-2 ... Briere again .. un-BEEEEE-lievable shift by that line ... Vanek especially ... Sabres just took a penalty though ....

2-1 after 2 ... bad period ... but they were down the other night ... gotta come out strong in the third.

2-1 Florida ... screen shot ... Sabres are getting out worked right now other than the Briere line that had a good shift ...

1-1 ... no idea who scored because the florida announcers have been yapping with bettman the whole second period ... very annoying ...

Pretty even period after Florida dominated the forst 3 minutes or so ... always good to get the first goal on the road ... Miller looks VERY good so far ... 1-0 Sabres after one ...

Luongo looks very sharp ... so does Miller, though ... Sabres score! Briere off a turnover... 1-0 ...

I stand corrected ... more of an oversight, I was kind of talking as a whole ... Miller made some huge saves. he seemed a bit shaky at first and he could have played the first goal better, but like I said be made up for it with some big ones in the third period.

That was not a strong performance in any facet of the game, but any time you can get 2 points on the road against the Stanley Cup champs, you take them. Hell, I would have taken the 1 point under the old rules and run before they changed their minds. But they kept coming and gave themselves a chance to get lucky, and they did. Gotta play better in Florida.

Other than a stretch in the mid to late 3rd, the Sabres dominated that game ... Fleury kept Pittsburgh in it, but with all the posts and such, poetic justice that the Sabres got the 2 points. Kalinin was good in his return. Vanek has to get one soon or he is going to REALLY start pressing, but he is a factor in every game. I know they have a ton of offensive talent, but I was talking to a Pens fan friend of mine after the 1st period and even he doesn't see how the "experts" are picking that team to make the playoffs easily and make a run... the defense is horrible.... the best thing that happened to them was Thibault gtting hurt because Fleury is their best goalie. Miller had a solid night ... the tying goal was bad, no doubt, but he bounced back. I think they need to get Biron a game at some point soon just to get him feeling the puck, but I am very happy with Miller so far. No disrespect, because it still scared me when he had the puck in the Sabres end, but Lemieux looks 40. 40-year old superstar who can still do things no one else can at times, but he looks old. He got bumped off the puck repeatedly in the Pittsburgh end and just does not look healthy ... another -3 night ... is it time for him to be a PP specialist on that team?

HORRIBLE goal allowed by Miller short side ... Recchi ... Sabres dominating and nothing to show for it

ANOTHER post ... kotalik this time ... after he got stoned by fleury ... Dumont fans on a 2-on-1

ANOTHER post by Drury ... PP over ...

Connolly misses everything on a 3-on-1 ... ugh ... Miller just stoned Recchi ...

Wow great play by vanek but hit the post ... fired it in off the back boards hard, went around the D and one-timed it from the circle ... he was just gliding along but turned on the jets as soon as he shot it in and caught the guy flatfooted ... woudl have been a pretty first NHL goal

Fitzpatrick, pretty pass from Grier

Lydman gets pocket picked by Crosby ... Miller saves him ... if you're not going to bench him at least take #5 away, Mike Ramsey's legacy deserves better ... The Fleury kid looks good ... friends in Pittsburgh say he was their best goalie all preseason but got sent down for money reasons ...

lucky bounce off a leg leads to goal by Palffy ... 1-1

5-0 final ... that is a very good ottawa team ... that and the fact the sabres obviously were not as fresh as the game went on, I am not discouraged by the result ... so far they are about what I expect, a team that will fight for a playoff spot but be outclassed by a team like ottawa if they are not at their best, and they were FAR from their best tonight.

Ottawa has been by far the better team, but Hasek still earned the shutout so far ... just stoned Vanek... Sens have carried the play, but scoring chances have been there.

4-0 ... PP goal ... screen shot from Redden ... Lydman was in the box after having his pocket picked behind the net, miller had to come up big and then Lydman hammered a guy for the penalty ... Peter and McGratton just fought ... RJ calls fights like no one ever ... unfortunately, highlight of the night ...

3-0 .. .Havlat SH on a breakaway ... it was his third or fourth breakaway of the night, matter of time ...

Yet ANOTHER PP for the Sabres early in the third ... broken record ... say it with me ... gotta get one here ...

Another PP less than a minute left in the second ... Hasek has been outstanding, although he's not the only reason Ottawa is winning, they dominated most of this period ... period over ...