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Buffalo 11-1 in last 12 games

Sabres 5 – Canucks 3 (en) Buffalo skated to the front quickly as the Sabres scored first on their first shot on goal during the first period, then proceeded to score shorthanded and stopped all 14 Canuck shots on net to end the first period with a 2-0 lead.

The Sabres increased their lead in the second period to 3-0 as (RW) Tuck made it look easy as he put a wrist shot high into the net and (G) Luukkonen played his second period of shut out hockey.

Buffalo’s 27 years old (D) Metsa in his 12th NHL game scored his first goal giving the Sabres a solid 4-0 lead with 14 minutes remaining in the game, then the skate blades began to come off as Vancouver scored three times in five and a half minutes to make it a one goal game with just four minutes left.

Right after Vancouver scored their third goal HC Ruff called a timeout to calm the boys down, which worked because with 76 seconds on the clock Sabres (RW) Doan scored the empty net goal to seal a 5-3 victory for the home crowd.

Next stop for the Sabres is The Big Apple as Buffalo skates into New York City to take on the Broadway Blue Shirts this Thursday night at 7 pm EST.

You cannot win them all

Sabres1 – Blue Jackets 5 (en) Sometimes the other team’s goaltender just shuts the door as was the case last night as Columbus (G) Greaves faced 33 Buffalo SOG with only one getting past him.

For Buffalo, goaltending was not the only inconsistency; the Sabres special teams had five power plays that fizzled and were even scored against shorthanded, there are no real reasons or excuses, there are games that get away from you, no shame.

On the bright side Buffalo launched over 30 SOG and won most of the faceoffs and (RW) Doan continues to shine for the Sabres as he knotted the game at one apiece before the Sabres skate blades came off altogether.

Buffalo has two days off before hosting the Vancouver Canucks this coming Tuesday night at 7 pm EST.

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers

Rangers 5 – Panthers 1 (en) This game had nearly everything, the Classic’s first Hat Trick, power play goals, a disallowed goal, and a short-handed empty net goal, the only thing missing were the fans.

Can you imagine going to Florida where it does not snow to attend an outdoor ice hockey game where the fans pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars to sit in the front row seats that are literally 20 to 50 yards away from the playing surface?

Once the Rangers (C) Zibanejad completed his hat trick the announcer commented that if a fan could throw a hat onto to the ice celebrating the hat trick it would be a world’s record, this remark highlights how far away the fans were from the game.

The Rangers are undefeated (6-0) in Winter Classic games, have scored 5 goals in three of them and not only did Rangers (C) Zibanejad score the first hat trick of the Winter Classic games but he also earned a Winter Classic record 5 points.

The defending two-time Stanley Cup champion Panthers outshot the Rangers with an almost 2-1 advantage (37-20) but could only score during the third period on the power play with the goaltender pulled creating a 6 on 4 Florida man advantage.

The game’s outcome places both Florida & New York in a tie with Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference standings behind Buffalo for the second wild card seeding.

10th Consecutive Win for Buffalo

Sabres 4 – Stars 1 The Buffalo Sabres are the second wild card seeded team in the Eastern Conference after winning ten in a row which includes an unprecedented seven road victories.

The game started off on the wrong skate as the Stars quickly took the 1-0 lead just 15 seconds after the opening faceoff and carried it into the second period as both teams combined for 28 SOG during the first period alone.

The second period belongs to Buffalo, and they proved it again last night taking a 2-1 lead on goals by Sabres (RW) Doan and (D) Byram with (C) Thompson and (C) Ostlund earning the primary assists then these four players continued their offensive contributions in the third period.

During the third period Buffalo (C) Thompson scored twice with (RW) Doan, (C) Ostlund, and (D) Byram earning assists as the Sabres took a 4-1 stranglehold on Dallas with eight and half minutes remaining in the game Buffalo also held Dallas to 7 SOG during the period and Sabres (G) Luukkonen was a brick wall throughout the game assisting in Buffalo beating Dallas 4-1 on the road.

The Buffalo Sabres next travel to Ohio preparing for a road contest versus the Columbus Blue Jackets this Saturday afternoon at 3 pm EST, endeavoring to continue their current winning streak.