Author: Buffalo Winter

Last Night’s Game Results

Avalanche 5 – Senators 1 Colorado smacked down Ottawa taking a 5-0 lead after two periods of play while the Senators scored their lone goal with four minutes remaining in the game.

Flames 5 – Devils 3 (en) Calgary fell behind 2-0 and 3-1 after the second period then the Flames burst into offense by scoring three goals including the empty net in the third period for the road victory.

Maple Leafs 4 – Rangers 3 Toronto wins their third in a row and takes the three game regular season series with New York 2-1 as the Rangers lose their third in a row.

Capitals 3 – Flyers 2 LW Ovechkin scored his 35th goal of the season, scored his 888th goal overall and now is with in “7” goals of breaking the NHL goal scoring record of 894 as the Capitals sweep the four game regular season series with Philadelphia.

Panthers 1 – Bluejackets 0 (OT) Florida quickly ended Columbus’ thoughts about winning when the Panthers on the power play scored just 29 seconds into overtime to take the game and the three game regular season series between these two teams.

Ducks 4 – Predators 1 (en) Anaheim was not quacking around after falling behind 1-0 during the first period as the Ducks then responded by taking back the lead with a 3-1 score that led to the empty net and an Anaheim sweep of Nashville in their three game regular season series.

Lightning 3 – Stars 2 (SO) Tampa Bay Beats Dallas after falling behind 2-0 before tying the game at two, taking the only three SOG in overtime then outscoring the Stars 3-2 in four rounds of the shootout for the win and a split of their two game regular season series.

Kings 3 – Blackhawks 1 (en) The 11th place Los Angeles Kings finally and barely won a game versus the NHL’s 31st team the Chicago Blackhawks as the Kings win the final game of their three game regular season series with Chicago.

Jets 4 – Oilers 3 (OT) Winnipeg owns Edmonton, the Oilers have now lost twice (Oct/Mar) by a combined 10-3 goal output with the third game of their regular season series coming in April.

Hockey Club 5 – Sabres 2 (own, en x2) I do not know if things can get much worse for Buffalo as they slide into their 14th NHL season without earning a playoff seeding. The Sabres tied the game twice, once on the power play and once shorthanded, but then the Sabres scored on themselves during the first empty net, which was not enough so Lindy pulled the goaltender again to afford Utah another easy score.

Knights 5 – Bruins 1 Another game where the victor took a 5-0 lead before the vanquished scored their lone goal as Boston loses both regular season games to Nevada this year.

Hurricanes 3 – Sharks 1 San Jose held a 1-0 shorthanded goal lead halfway through the game before Carolina tied it in the second period and eventually scored twice more in the third period for the win and a sweep of their two-game regular season series.

Referee #11 Kelly Sutherland falls & blocks puck

Maple Leafs 2 – Avalanche 1 A minute and a half into the third period of a 1-1 game Toronto earns a “too many men on the ice” penalty affording Colorado to score again on the power play.

As a Toronto penalty killer attempts to clear the puck down the ice, Referee #11 Sutherland (possible distant cousin of Donald) literally tripped himself near the center red line, fell and blocked the clearing attempt allowing for a Maple Leafs player to regain puck possession.

NHL rule book rules only cover players whose actions impede puck movement not officials, a solution would be to allow officials who inadvertently stop puck movement whistle the play dead to ensure an equitable outcome.

A clear advantage allowed that resulted in a goal that would not have happened if not for the official falling and blocking the puck, and since there were no other goals scored this particular score was significantly important to the outcome of the game and playoff standings.

Around the League

Wild 4 – Kraken 0 Seattle launched 34 SOG but could not put one past Minnesota Goaltender Gustavsson (not grumpy old men) as the Wild solidify their hold on the number one wild card in the Western Conference and the Kraken fall even further from realistically challenging for a wild card seeding.

14 NHL Games on Tap Tonight

Including Buffalo visiting Utah that sported a team that was one of Buffalo’s farm clubs from the early 1970s now Utah has an NHL franchise, too cool.

Last Week’s Answer: FDR, POTUS Roosevelt’s administration created the Public Works Administration that initiated civic projects (Memorial Auditorium, Hoover Dam, etc.), one of the “New Deal” programs during the 1930s to help lift the United States of America out of the “Great Depression”.

What 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympian Gold Medalist defenseman was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres with the 11th overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft?

A) Mike Ramsey

B) Paul Reinhart

C) Jay Wells

D) Mark Hardy

Buffalo St. Patrick’s Day Revelers Rejoiced

Sabres 3 – Bruins 2 (OT) The Sabres spoiled the holiday for the Irish hockey fans in Massachusetts as Buffalo effectively pushed Boston further out of reach for the final wild card seeding in the Eastern Conference.

With Center Norris and RW Peterka out of the lineup, Center Krebs received top six duties, and he took advantage by scoring the game’s first goal while on the power play.

Buffalo took nearly twice as many SOG as Boston and both team’s goaltenders made some highlight reel saves, with Sabres Goaltender Luukkonen aggressively atop his crease stopping a RW Pasternak break away.

Around the League:

Maple Leafs 6 – Flames 2 Just my opinion but I think the NHL should as an event, have Toronto host a St. Patrick’s Day game/tournament each year sporting those awesome green and white ST PATS sweaters, with any participating teams wearing their best green themed sweaters.

Tampa Bay Lightning shutout the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0

Devils hold off the Blue Jackets 2-1

Wild score an empty net goal in a 3-1 win over the Kings

ESPN FHL Playoff Round #1

It has been a highly contested regular fantasy hockey season in our league with five teams competing all year to earn one of four available playoff seedings with Buffalo Winter clinching the No. 1 seed.

As in the NHL so goes the FHL, similarly the playoffs are a whole new season with each team entered having the ability to win, advance and earn the championship.

Buffalo is in Beantown tonight to play spoiler to the Bruins where no doubt most every Boston Irish hockey fan will be in attendance, watching, or listening to this St. Patrick’s Day divisional matchup because the Bruins are literally in a seven-team struggle for the two Eastern Conference wild card seedings.