Hockey History 1917-2023 – Page 8

Sabres Roast Ducks

Buffalo’s recent 13-1-0 streak creates new Sabres standard

Sabres 5 – Ducks 3 (en) Two minutes into the first period Sabres (RW) Quinn scores the first goal of the game and Buffalo continued to outshoot Anaheim and ended the first period with the 1-0 lead.

At the finish of the second period Buffalo still held the edge in shots on goal, added another tally to go up on Anaheim 2-0 heading into the third period.

**Excellent pass from Sabres (C) Krebs to (C) Thompson for Buffalo’s second goal**

Buffalo (D) Byram records his 10th of the year assisted by a behind the net pass from (C) Thompson to give the Sabres a 3-0 lead that they held until five minutes remaining in the game when the Ducks scored to cut the lead to two goals, but Sabres (C) Quinn scored his second of the evening giving Buffalo what should have been an insurmountable 4-1 lead with just four minutes remaining in the game.

Chaos ensued as Anaheim continued to push and scored twice more creeping within one and with 48 seconds remaining and the Ducks goaltender pulled, Buffalo’s (RW) Tuch brilliantly skated behind the net and put his man to the ice, then took the puck went one way then reversed and tossed a backhand to (C) Norris in front of the net who between two defenders soft-touched a backhand into the empty net for the 5-3 lead and final.

The Buffalo Sabres second game of this current five-game homestand is tomorrow night at 7 pm EST versus the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

Buffalo Bashes New York

Sabres take a bite out of the Big Apple

Sabres 5 – Rangers 2 (en) The Buffalo Sabres have now won 12 of 13 games which last happened 20 seasons ago, ironically when current Rangers General Manager Drury led the Sabres with 12 points during their last 12 wins in a 13-game stretch during the 2005 Christmas season.

**Sabres (LW) Zucker scores on the power play as the puck bounces off of his back**

The Sabres scored the game’s first goal four minutes into the first period and kept the lead all game, rookie (G) Ellis was outstanding stopping 30 of the Ranger’s 32 SOG, Buffalo’s NHL premier penalty killers denied New York’s man advantages even when the Rangers had a four-minute power play.

**Sabres Alternate Captain (D) Samuelsson scores shorthanded from a tough angle**

Buffalo scored even strength, on the power play, shorthanded, and an empty net, the Sabres scored twice in the third period on only 3 SOG to take the 4-2 lead and eventually closing out New York 5-2 with the happy net goal, which ties up the regular season series between these two combatants at 1-1 with the rubber match not until April.

**Buffalo endeavoring to secure a playoff invitation**

Buffalo is now the second seeded wild card in the Eastern Conference and begin a 5-game homestand this Saturday night versus the Anaheim Ducks at 7 pm EST as the Sabres look to solidify their playoff seeding.

Vancouver Vanquished

Buffalo 11-1 in last 12 games

**Buffalo & Vancouver were granted NHL franchises in 1970**

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.

**Sabres (C) McCloud scores shorthanded**

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.

**Sabres (RW) Tuch scores while the Canucks watch**

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.

**Buffalo (D) Metsa is mobbed by teammates after scoring his first NHL goal**

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.

ESPN FHL January 5th

11 Week Winning Streak Comes to an End

After 13 weeks I am now second in my division and third overall with an 11-2 record, my opponent earned last week’s high score, tying me overall at 11-2 and asher1961-1 replaces me as the Western Division and League leader.

The previous weekly matchup results:

As of this week the top four teams statistically:

TRANSACTIONS

I have completed 70 waiver wire moves, so far this year in our league four team managers have taken advantage of productive players available to improve their roster.

My last move was to drop (C) Hintz who has become unproductive in his last four outings, so out he goes and I replaced him with San Jose Sharks rookie (LW) Chernyshov who in just 8 games had only one-off game and has contributed over three points twice, this winger could be a diamond in the rough.

Blue Jackets Befuddle Buffalo

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.

**Sabres (RW) Doan scores a backdoor goal with an assist from (C) Norris**

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.