12 to Remember: Buffalo @ Boston 11/2/06

Yes, I took forever and a day to get this game diary up, but I was in the woods! I have the mosquito bites and sunburn to prove it!

Kevin remains as cute as a button, but doesn't really say anything of note in this intro. It makes me giggle, though, thinking of him filming all of these clips back-to-back in one day, only pausing to let some attendant switch the opposing team jerseys behind him. Do you suppose there was a Professional Sweater Handler for this shoot?

Whoa, in the intro graphic, Al Kotalik is totally channeling Derek Zoolander. That’s a Blue Steel if ever I’ve seen one. (Also, speaking of Zoolander, you can Kotalik my balls.)

First Period
19:53 What’s this? We cut to the game and it’s already seven seconds in? I don’t even get to see the opening face-off? The cuts MSG makes boggle my mind.
19:41 Hecht takes the first penalty of the game after he turns the puck over trying to move it out of the zone. The rest of the team pays very close attention and decides that’s the style they should emulate come May.
18:03 Miller covers up on a Chara bomb from the point. I know this is about as necessary as stating that Marian Gaborik is a pretty good hockey player, but damn, Chara is HUGE.
17:09 Aw, Hecht almost makes up for that previous penalty by stepping out the box and speedily picking up a loose puck. Of course, being Jochen, he aims his shot right at the goaltender. Adorable.
16:41 My heart is singing right now, because you know who’s in this game? Everyone’s favorite 7th defenseman, Nathan Paetsch! After a really neat through-the-legs pass from Max, Paetsch scampers up the ice. He sets up Vanek beautifully, but Tim Thomas makes a nice stop. I don’t know who’s injured (probably Hank, which is sad), but I love Patches! Yay!
16:02 Well, it’s definitely not Spacek who’s injured, seeing as how he just gave the puck away most atrociously at the blue line. Sigh.
14:27 After the puck spends the better part of two even-strength minutes in our defensive zone, Miller finally covers up. Will someone please explain to the Sabres that they’re playing the Bruins? The Bruins! There’s no excuse for this. Roy finally finds his way to the bench and tries to pretend he’s not dying from exhaustion, even though he clearly is. Poor guy.
13:00 RJ says he suspects “it wouldn’t take too much to spark some extra-curricular activity in this game,” as Peters, Goose, and then Mair were all sent flying in rapid succession. Please, oh please, let there be a fight. This game could use a little livening up.

Second Period
--What? Now I’m being robbed of more than half the first period? MSG, do I need to explain once again that it’s the off-season? Throw me a bone, here! Actually, if the first period was just more of the same, I guess I’m better off. Thanks for the favor, MSG.
19:31 Hecht gets lucky twice in a row while heading to the net, as the puck bounces of first one Bruin and then another, managing to find its way back to his stick both times. Still, he shoots it wide of the net. Oh, Yo-Yo.
18:44 After some really nice pressure by the Drury line, which involved at least two or three quality plays by Kotalik, Lydman gets caught in the Boston zone. It’s now official that Hank is injured because Spacek is the only one back, and the Bruins have no trouble converting the two-on-one. Oh, lord. If only Paetsch had been out there, he would have… let the exact same thing happen. Hey, all I said is that I love the guy. It’s not like I think he’s an exemplary defenseman, or anything.
18:11 Gorgeous bang-bang play by Afinogenov and Vanek. Max makes a dandy of a pass into the crease, and Thomas just fails to tip it past Thomas (Uh, of the Tim variety. Man that's confusing.)
17:28 Gaustad does his best Zubrus impression and refuses to be knocked off the puck. It goes to Kalinin and I’m hoping to see him do his best Zubrus impression and look like a movie star, but no dice. Instead, he promptly drops his stick. Oh, Dmitri.
16:30 Drury is completely mugged and flattened by Alberts in the corner, and I can’t help but giggle with glee. Of course, being Drury, he still gets the puck. Grumble, grumble.
14:38 In the span of about twenty seconds, Max has two glorious, almost identical set ups. Too bad Roy and Vanek, respectively, are too busy being tied up by the defense to connect.
13:40 Teppo gets labeled along the back boards, and falls to the ice. Hey, you break it, you buy it, Boston!
13:26 Briere is taken down in a most odd fashion, and there’s somehow no call. It looks like the Bruin’s stick got caught in his skate, which I guess isn’t really all that illegal. Still, Danny looks like he’s auditioning for a spot on the Canadian Olympic Ice Dancing team. Hope he likes sequins!
13:17 Campbell winds up at the point, and Pominville easily deflects the puck past a defender and Thomas without even looking. Now that was a true Sabre goal: clean, quick, deft. Now if only they could score like that in the power play every once in awhile, we’d be set. By the by, there’s something about the way Jim calls Pommer “Jason” that I find irresistibly adorable. Don’t ask me why, I just do.
10:56 We get a little “razzle dazzle” skating from Afinogenov, and he spreads his special brand of chaos. There are literally players falling down all over the place. Even Thomas seems entranced by the display, as the consequent save he makes looks like he just happened to be standing in the right place at the right time. I got to say, we’re approaching the midway point of the game, and it doesn’t seem like a whole hell of a lot has happened. Why can’t we beat the Flyers 9-1 every week?
9:02 The RAV line looks a little lazy on a three-on-two. Max threads a beautiful pass to Vanek, who decides not to shoot but instead passes to an over-skating Roy. Guys! The game’s getting boring, and if you can’t entertain me, honestly, who can?
8:43 Max is all over the place as he takes a cross-ice pass from Vanek, and goes hard to the net. Ultimately, he ends up going a little too hard, and slides skates first into Thomas. Dude, if you were the puck, you so would have just scored. But good on you, Max, I like the effort.
6:59 Kessel looks dangerous on a breakaway, but ends up shooting it over the net. Of course, not before Spacek can hook him. Oh, Patches, where are you?
6:34 We’re treated to some typical penalty-kill suckage, and Savar scores. A shot from the point glances off the post first, and the penalty killers give the Bruins about an hour to pounce on the rebound. I know how this game goes, so I know it’s going to get worse before it gets better. I guess I should just strap in for the bumpy ride coming up.
5:34 Roy shoots the puck at Chara’s face, but Zdeno’s like, “I don’t think so, kid,” and swats it away like it's a particularly annoying bee. Heh.
4:56 Sturm hits Max, Max hits Sturm, bitch slapping ensues and they both go to the box. I’m really sad that didn’t develop into a full-on fight. There are few things more surprisingly exhilerating than an Afinogenov fight.
3:40 Miller makes a really sharp save after Campbell gives up a breakaway, and Paetsch tries to look helpful by flying headfirst into the net. Uh, oh, I think someone might be trying to challenge Pominville for the title of Team Puppy. Meanwhile, there’s some sort of Boston penalty. Oh, it’s Savar for crosschecking Paetsch. Puppy kicker.
1:19 After the Sabres characteristically waste that power play, Jochen tries to pretend that he’s not hooking some Bruin, even though he totally is. He looks all sad and steamed as he heads to the box. Poor guy. It’s just one of those nights.
0:52 There’s a shorthanded two on one, but it’s Novotny and Goose, so of course they suck at it. Sorry, guys.
0:44 And because they just had to try and show off, the Bruins get another goal. Miller makes the initial save on Savar, but Murray bangs home the rebound. The only thing I can say about this is that I’d really like to hear the Bruins home announcer call this goal. I imagine “Savar” and “Murray” sound resplendent in a Boston accent.
0:15 Numminen makes the kind of smart defensive move that everyone will forget he’s good at when they’re complaining that we signed him instead of Souray. Don’t worry, Teppo, I noticed!
0:00 Wow, the end of period “siren” is beyond lame. RJ announces that after the break the Sabres will have 1:58 to “work on a power play.” Okay, tempered language isn’t something RJ employs very often. Is it really possible for the special teams’ reputation to precede it into November?

Third Period
18:23 Kotalik puts the putrid power play out of its misery and hooks Donovan at the blue line. Unfortunately, the refs don’t want to let Buffalo off the hook that easily, and give Donovan a matching minor for diving. Even though he, uh, didn’t dive. Even RJ and Jim are like, what now? Damn these refs, conspiring to put us on the power play at all costs.
18:07 The puck gets tied up in Chara’s equipment, and he’s looking around all confused, like, “What? A puck hit me?” Sorry to harp on about the fact that he’s a colossus, but I’m having a hard time finding stuff to talk about with this game.
17:28 Briere and Pommer go in on a two-on-one, and Jason almost stuffs it by Thomas. Or does he? Oh, joy. A goal review is exactly what we need to spice this game up. As the debate begins, the TD Banknorth starts playing some really hideous elevator music. And then the whole building sings along. The ensuing no goal call seems a small price to pay to end this small hell.
16:04 Mowers bangs it in from right outside the crease, as the Sabres look on. It’s now 4-1 Boston, and Jim gets no arguments when he says that the Bruins have been the better team “without a doubt.” Yes, let’s remember this game, shall we?
15:37 Vanek, with Chara all over him, tries his patented wrap-around, but no dice.
13:52 Hecht tries a drop pass to Briere, but the hobbit is too busy wondering how big of a contract he can possibly demand from the Flyers, and totally misses it. Jochen is left to pick up the pieces of the play, which he does. Without being a slag-faced whore about it.
11:49 Drury, literally sitting on the ice, rips a great shot at Thomas. Good lord, why does MSG force me to watch such things?! There’s no way I can pretend that wasn’t amazing. Except that he didn’t score. So obviously he sucks. Right?
10:33 Suddenly Max, Mair and Briere are all on the ice at the same time? How did that happen? I know I asked for things to be spiced up a little, but that's not exactly what I had in mind.
9:24 Oooh, drama! After fumbling the puck at the blue line, Paetsch takes down Donovan and has the whole building, not to mention the Bruins bench, in an uproar for a call. But, obviously, the refs share my opinion that Patches is too cute to put in the box, and turn a blind eye.
8:49 Afinogenov scores! In true fashion, he strips a Boston defender of the puck and rips a quick shot from between the circles. Tim Thomas’ reaction here is priceless. He seems to not realize he’s been scored on, and starts looking all around for the puck. “Uhhhhh, Which way did it go? Which way did it go?”
7:43 Miller makes a great save, but leaves almost the whole net wide open. Luckily Spacek picks the right moment to play sharp defense and protects his goalie.
6:30 Kessel gets a breakaway but trips over Miller instead of shooting, and goes careening into the boards head first. Fans want a call, but I think he pretty much got what he asked for, there.
2:30 Max scores again, but Roy was the real workhorse on this play. He pounced on an open puck in the neutral zone, worked it over the line, and then stuck with it even when he was pushed off the play. Eventually, he set up Vanek across the ice, whose rebound Max slammed home. Very well done, Derek. Now sign a contract already!
1:35 Kotalik ties it at four! He takes a perfect set up from, uh, some guy with zits in the corner, and one-times it past Thomas. You know, for all his faults in other areas, Al can really bury a shot like no other. When he wants to, of course.
0:07 As time winds down, Goose and Chara grapple with each other, before Goose reaches up (and up, and up) to pop Chara in the mouth. Gotta love that feisty Goose.

Overtime
4:32 Pominville takes a close-range shot, and Thomas obviously has no clue where the puck went. It’s a good thing his D does, because they take care of it, and keep this game from being over right quick.
3:37 Max is totally on fire. He nabs a bouncing puck on in the neutral zone and speeds in on goal. He’s taken down before he can shoot, and since we’re not playing Ottawa in the Conference Final, the refs decide to call the tripping penalty. Honestly, I remember the same exact take-down happening at least three times in that series, and it was never called. Of course, our power play was such a shit show by that point that it’s hard to complain.
2:42 The Sabres have gotten some good movement on the power play so far, but it’s too co-captain heavy for me to pay attention to.
2:33 We’ve found our secret weapon! Roy skates around Chara at the blue line like there’s no one there. I’m convinced it’s because Zdeno can’t see him from way up where he is.
1:29 Roy backhands it through the crease, but Vanek can’t connect. It seems Buffalo has woken up just in time to show Boston who’s boss. I mean, it’s the Bruins, so they can get away with such things.
0:25 Boston almost scores on a wide-open net to end the game, but instead: Joy of joys. Another shootout.

Shootout
It takes about a hundred hours for the shootout to start. Yeah, these things are so super exciting!
1st Shot: Murray fakes a shot, but Miller just stick-checks the puck away from him. No prob, Bob.
2nd Shot: Everyone in the building thinks Thomas stopped Briere (including, no doubt, Thomas himself), but the puck finds its way through and into the net.
3rd Shot: Axelsson’s shot deflects off Miller’s shoulder.
4th Shot: Max tries to go five-hole, but Thomas stops him pretty easily.
5th Shot: Jim announces that if Bergeron doesn’t score on this attempt then the Sabres win it. Oh please, let him score. There’s nothing more anti-climactic than a shootout that’s won due to a failed attempt. Thankfully, the puck trickles in under Miller’s right pad and we continue.
6th Shot: Kotalik, already the hero, decides he’s ready to score another one and backhands the puck past Thomas to win it 5-4.

A post-game shot of Miller shows him lifting up his mask and shaking his head, all, “Guys, we totally did not deserve to win that game.” And you know what? He’s not wrong.

Next week (read: this past Monday)… there is no next week! MSG broadcast the Sabres’ tenth straight road win against the Carolina Hurricanes, but I don’t get to see it. My evil TiFaux decided that since I was on vacation, it could be, too, and didn’t record anything at all while we were gone. Also, that game is the only Sabres/Canes game from the past season not uploaded to Google video, so I’m really up shit creek here. I don’t know what to tell you guys, except, I guess the 12 to Remember has become the 11 to Remember and now the 10 to Remember, as far as I’m concerned. Sorry.