Author: Buffalo Winter

Toronto and Pittsburgh Combine for 11 Goals

Maple Leafs 6 – Penguins 5 (OT) In Pittsburgh last night the Maple Leafs scored with 0.01 tenth of one second remaining in the second period to go up 5-4 on their hosts.

But not to be outdone the Penguins returned the favor by scoring in the first 10 seconds of the third period to tie the game essentially getting all 10 scores from the teams in two periods of regulation play.

In NHL overtime you either score quickly or the periods drag on, last night Toronto went with brevity as RW Nylander wristed one past G Blomqvist for the game winner and Toronto’s goal scoring lead (35 G) one minute into the extra frame.

Friday Night Winners

Avalanche 5 – Wild 2 (en) Colorado was sporting their “Rockies” tribute sweater, not exactly the same logo from the 1970s but very similar, additionally the NHL Colorado Rockies became the New Jersey Devils, and it was the Quebec Nordiques that moved to Colorado, which gave rise to the Nordiques/Avalanche hybrid sweaters.

Stars 6 – Kings 2 It took Dallas three attempts and their special teams to score twice on the power play to beat Los Angeles once as they finish their three game regular season series last night.

Maple Leafs 3 – Rangers 2 An exciting game in New York City as the Rangers scored shorthanded to tie the game early in the third period 2-2, but it took Toronto just a couple of minutes later to get that one back and the 3-2 lead which they held on to for the win.

Not since April 7th 1996

Whalers 5 – Sabres 2 (empty net) The Carolina Hurricanes in a nod to their NHL history wore their Hartford Whalers sweaters while hosting Buffalo last night and I enjoyed the game with a sense of nostalgia and deja vu, that is until the Sabres went down 1-3 in the first period.

So far in their 3-game season series both Buffalo and Carolina have won at home with the deciding game occurring this April in Buffalo.

Hartford’s first season in the NHL after the WHA/NHL merger ended up seven games under 500% and were still in the playoffs…shortly, as Montreal swept them in the preliminary round.

Then after five seasons of no playoff seedings they won their one and only playoff series in 1986 versus the Quebec Nordiques and for the next 11 seasons either lost in the first round or did not qualify for the playoffs.

The floundering franchise was sold and moved down south where they lost a Cup to Detroit (2002) won a cup versus Edmonton (2006) after getting past Buffalo in the semi-finals 18 seasons ago.

Next up a home and home series with Montreal March 1st and 3rd with Saturday night’s game here along the Lake.

Winnipeg sets team record with 11th victory

Jets 4 – Senators 1 The NHL’s league leader the Winnipeg Jets keep winning and Ottawa remains two points from a wild card seeding after these O’Brien Cup combatants played in their Nation’s capital.

Avalanche 5 – Devils 1 Unfortunately Mr. Bettman continues to bend the NHL’s knee to leftist narratives and push sexual perversion propaganda making last night’s game in Colorado uncomfortable for some viewers.

Canucks 3 – Kings 2 OT Vancouver takes the three-game season series with Los Angeles 2-1, the Canucks took 6 SOG in the first and scored, did the same thing in the second period, and took 1 SOG in OT for the win on a 17 SOG effort.

Buffalo is one of 24 teams competing tonight as the Sabres visit North Carolina.

Fowl play during an 11 penalty first period

Sabres 3 – Ducks 2 Here along the Lake the Sabres have won their sixth consecutive home game in stunning fashion coming from two goals down during the third period to win without a powerplay or empty net goal.

The Ducks scored twice with the power play, a two-man advantage and a one-man advantage to carry a 2-0 lead into the final period of play.

In the first nine and half minutes Buffalo scored three times with the initial tally coming in the first two minutes of the third period, then three minutes later RW Tuch scored his 20th of the season.

D Jokiharju scored an incredible short-side, upper corner, with barely enough space for the puck to go through shot nearly halfway through the period that was similar to the one he scored for Finland during the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament.

Buffalo takes both contests from Anaheim in their two-game season series by the identical 3-2 score, next up the Hurricanes as the Sabres travel to Raleigh for tomorrow night’s game.