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1959-60 NHL SOG Statistics Begin

Senators 2 – Rangers 1 The game started off cheerfully enough as the New York Rangers (C) Zibanejad was honored for his 1000th NHL game and he was surprised into speechlessness as he realized his wife was the narrator.

Unfortunately for Rangers fans that was about all they had to cheer about as one of the announcers during the first period commented that he rarely uses the words “lack of effort” in criticizing a team, but that this was difficult not to observe.

The New York Rangers record book notes that on December 11th, 1955, the Rangers took 9 SOG during a 2-0 loss to the Red Wings, and the NHL began recording shot on goals (SOG) during the 1959-60 season and since then have never recorded a team take as low as 9 SOG until last night.

Ironically, the Ottawa Senators are the best team in the NHL at holding their opponents at bay with the lowest SOG against, but their goaltending duo has the worst save percentage in the league.

The Rangers got on the board seven minutes into the third period as former Pittsburgh Penguins, two times Stanley Cup champion, (LW) Sheary scored his fourth of the season giving the home crowd a glimmer of hope.

But it was not to be for New York as the Rangers failed to get a single shot on net during the remaining four minutes of the game even when they pulled their goaltender for a minute and a half, the game’s SOG results were Ottawa 33, New York 9 (3 by (C) Zibanejad).

The Buffalo Sabres during their last seven regular season games are scheduled to play the Senators and Rangers one last time on the road during April.

Buffalo earns tie in Anaheim

Sabres 5 – Ducks 6 (OT) A game of anomalies, Buffalo won over 60% of the faceoffs, scored first & lost, (G) Lyon posted a .818% save percentage, and the special teams allowed the Ducks to score three power play goals, all in a game where the Sabres earned a 5-5 tie with the Pacific Division leader but could not force a shootout where Buffalo almost always comes out on top.

I have grown so accustomed to watching the Sabres win that I was actually “mad” when Anaheim scored and tied the game at five, but I know we cannot win them all, happily our boys earned points in all four games out West.

The one mistake early that cost us the game was the initial penalty in the first period, a “too many men on the ice” penalty, but ticky-tacky calls from over exuberant officials are the bane of every team in the NHL. So, without the call and ensuing power play score by the Ducks, Buffalo wins 5-4…probably.

The Buffalo Sabres begin a four-game home stretch beginning this Wednesday night the 25th at 7 pm EST versus the Boston Bruins.

Sabres Dethrone Kings

Sabres 4 – Kings 1 (en) The Buffalo Sabres scored even strength, on the power play, an empty net, and to top it off, Los Angeles cordially scored one of the Sabres goals, and with the win Buffalo extends their current winning streak to four games to keep them tied with Carolina for the Eastern Conference lead.

The Kings recent addition, “The Breadman” (LW) Panarin scored the game’s initial goal halfway through the first period for the 1-0 lead that Los Angeles skated into the second period with.

Just four minutes into the second period Sabres (C) Thompson scored his 36th of the season off a net front rebound that he collected and skillfully dangled completely around the fallen netminder to quickly shoot the puck from the side of the net to tie the game at one apiece.

During the third period Buffalo scored twice in 59 seconds, it began when Sabres (LW) Benson skated through the neutral zone and it appeared that he high sticked the puck and was the first player to touch the puck in the offensive zone and as he did so he was bodily (high elbow) crushed to the ice by two Kings.

As the two Kings were admiring their handiwork the puck slid towards the outside of the faceoff circle that Sabres (C) Carrick was able to skate into then glide in front of the net to calmly backhand a goal for the 2-1 Buffalo lead and when Los Angeles interim head coach challenged what he thought was a high stick the officials ruled there was no high stick which afforded the Sabres their only power play of the game.

During the ensuing power play Sabres Captain (C) Dahlin shoots the puck from above the right faceoff dot and as he skates slowly through the faceoff circle towards the net the puck goes in, literally three seconds after the shot because the ensuing rebound flew up, over, and past Sabres (LW) Zucker towards a Kings defenseman who pushed/punched the puck downwards causing it to bounce through the five hole and into the back of the net for the two goal 3-1 Sabres lead.

Trailing by two goals with under three minutes remaining the Kings pull their goalie and were passing smartly in the offensive zone when a blast blocked by Sabres (LW) Malenstyn is scooped up by linemate (C) Norris who passes to his winger (LW) Benson skating at center ice who then skates towards and dekes a retreating Kings defender to snap it past him for the 4-1 lead and victory.

The Sabres finish their four-game Western Road trip playing the end of a back-to-back tonight 8 pm EST in Anaheim versus the Ducks.

Buffalo Road Warriors

Sabres 5 – Sharks 0 After a tightly played scoreless first period where San Jose outshot and mostly out-hustled Buffalo for their California home crowd, the Sabres proceeded to take only 3 SOG during the second period and scored on all three of them for the 3-0 lead that the Sabres took into the third period.

The first shot Buffalo took 40 seconds into the third period by (C) Thompson went in for his 35th of the season as the Sabres scored on four consecutive SOG and Sabres (G) Lyon impressively earned another shutout stopping all 6 SOG San Jose mustered in the third period to win his 10th road victory in a row just one shy of the overall NHL record.

The Sabres line of (C) Ostlund, (C) Norris, and (RW) Doan where impressive again, Buffalo newcomers (C) Carrick scored twice and (D) Stanley earned two assists, and four out of Buffalo’s six defensemen earned points, Buffalo endeavors to earn a third consecutive shutout this coming Saturday afternoon 4 pm EST versus the Los Angeles Kings.

UPL Posts Shutout

Sabres 2 – Knights 0 (en) The best way to begin a Western Road Trip is with a win and even better with a shutout, last night Sabres (G) Luukkonen earned his eighth career shutout, (RW) Doan scored an unbelievable shot from behind the net along the dasher board that banked in off the Knights’ goaltender for his 22nd of the season and the game’s first goal during the first period.

Sabres (C) Norris played well and pressured the Knights all night with 5 SOG, 2 blocks, and a +2 plus/minus, earning him the opportunity to successfully shoot on the empty net and to score with 58 seconds remaining in the third period to seal the Sabres 2-0 victory.

It is also a nice view from atop of the Eastern Conference as the Sabres hit 90 points and have tied the conference leader Carolina, but the Hurricanes have a game in hand which is about the only thing separating these two nearly identical statistically matched teams.

The Sabres escape the oppressive 90-degree heat of Nevada with a win and now have to face their next opponent in additional 90-degree weather, the San Jose Sharks tomorrow night Thursday at 10 pm EST.