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Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) -- Welcome once again into the Ted Darling Memorial Press Box. Tonight the Buffalo Sabres try and snap out of their funk against the New York Rangers. The blue and gold will be without starting goaltender Ryan Miller for this reutrn match with the Blueshirts. The starter has a sinus infection that will keep him out, forcing head coach Ron Rolston to turn to Jhonas Enroth. Despite some very big rebounds against the New Jersey Devils, the backup was up to the task.
Patrick Kaleta is still out of the lineup to serve his suspension for pushing Brad Richards from behind. For his part, Richards told the media assembled this morning that the incident is over, and he is looking forward instead of backward at the hit. T.J. Brennan will be a healthy scratch for Buffalo. To find out more from the team's morning skate, click here for Paul Hamilton's pregame primer.
Feel free to share your comments throughout the game tonight. I will add my two cents in between the scoring plays, and head on over to Twitter for more on the game: @PatWGR. While you are there, give Brian Koziol a follow: @BrianWGR.
First Period
19:11 - Despite being activated off of injured reserve on Sunday, Jordan Leopold returns top the Sabres lineup tonight. He was scratched in Philly. Tonight he is matched up with Mike Weber.
15:05 - A bad turnover by Thomas Vanek hems the blue and gold in their own zone for an extended period of time and forced Enroth to freeze the puck for a faceoff. What could have been an easy exit up the wall turned into a scramble at the far-side faceoff dot.
First Period
19:11 - Despite being activated off of injured reserve on Sunday, Jordan Leopold returns top the Sabres lineup tonight. He was scratched in Philly. Tonight he is matched up with Mike Weber.
15:05 - A bad turnover by Thomas Vanek hems the blue and gold in their own zone for an extended period of time and forced Enroth to freeze the puck for a faceoff. What could have been an easy exit up the wall turned into a scramble at the far-side faceoff dot.
11:42 - Steve Ott makes his presence known with a couple of hits on Rangers' players. Over by the bench, at the end of his shift, the forward laid into Michael Del Zotto to stir things up. That seemed to wake up the team for a moment.
8:02 - Holy cow, how did Vanek and the Sabres miss a few golden opportunites in a row. The forward was stoned by Lundqvist, who flailed all over the ice and kept the puck out of the net. You NEED to bury those if you want to win the game.
3:05 - Another ho-hum period rounding out here at First Niagara Center. Buffalo is being outshot 9-5 this period, but I feel like they have had the better of the chances against the Blueshirts netminder. At no point do I feel like the Rangers have dominated, or come close to dominating this twenty minutes.
:48.3 - Prior to getting their sixth shot of the period, Buffalo spent a good thirty seconds in their own zone or in the neutral zone trying to handle the puck. What is it about this team that they just have mental lapses that cause them fits in their own half of the ice.
End of Period
BUF - 0, NYR - 0
Goal Summary
BUF: none
NYR: none
Shots on Goal
BUF - 7, NYR - 10
Second Period
17:30 - First penalty of the night goes to the Rangers' Darroll Powe for tripping. Buffalo has come out firing on all cylinders this frame, let's see if they can finally bury a chance.
16:16 - Dan Girardi with a big block of a Jason Pominville shot along the near-side boards. It was a very good cycle around the perimeter that goes for not.
15:30 - RANGERS GOAL. Derek Stepan buries the rebound chance short handed after Ryan Callahan simply tosses the puck to the front of the net. How many times are the Sabres going to cost themself with a special teams blunder? 1-0 NYR.
14:25 - SABRES GOAL. What a nifty answer by Marcus Foligno at even strength to get this game tied at 1-a piece. Christian Ehrhoff made a heady play by stepping around a New York defender, slapping a shot off of the back boards and Foligno was there at the side of the net to put the puck between his legs for the goal. 1-1 tie.
8:55 - More than a minute gone on the second Buffalo power play tonight, and the natives are getting very restless. There has not been anything to cheer about, and if anything New York has had the better of the opportunities.
End of Period
BUF - 0, NYR - 0
Goal Summary
BUF: none
NYR: none
Shots on Goal
BUF - 7, NYR - 10
Second Period
17:30 - First penalty of the night goes to the Rangers' Darroll Powe for tripping. Buffalo has come out firing on all cylinders this frame, let's see if they can finally bury a chance.
16:16 - Dan Girardi with a big block of a Jason Pominville shot along the near-side boards. It was a very good cycle around the perimeter that goes for not.
15:30 - RANGERS GOAL. Derek Stepan buries the rebound chance short handed after Ryan Callahan simply tosses the puck to the front of the net. How many times are the Sabres going to cost themself with a special teams blunder? 1-0 NYR.
14:25 - SABRES GOAL. What a nifty answer by Marcus Foligno at even strength to get this game tied at 1-a piece. Christian Ehrhoff made a heady play by stepping around a New York defender, slapping a shot off of the back boards and Foligno was there at the side of the net to put the puck between his legs for the goal. 1-1 tie.
8:55 - More than a minute gone on the second Buffalo power play tonight, and the natives are getting very restless. There has not been anything to cheer about, and if anything New York has had the better of the opportunities.
7:19 - SABRES GOAL. This time Thomas Vanek does not miss the chance. What a perfect outlet pass by Jason Pominville through the neutral zone that gave the winger a clear path to the net. He turned on the jets and went in on goal one-on-one with Henrik Lundqvist, beating him five hole for the score. 2-1 BUF.
2:26 - Another hustle play by the blue and gold has forced the Rangers to take a penalty. When are the Sabres going to convert on the extra man chance and give themselves some more distance on the scoreboard?
End of Period
BUF - 2, NYR - 1
Goal Summary
BUF: 5:35 - Marcus Foligno (2) (Christian Ehrhoff, Andrej Sekera). 12:40 - Thomas Vanek (14) (Jason Pominville, Cody Hodgson).
NYR: 4:17 - Derek Stepan (7) SHG (Ryan Callahan).
Shots on Goal
BUF - 12 (19), NYR - 5 (15)
Third Period
16:53 - You had to know that the Rangers would come out flying, after laying an egg for the majority of the second period. Brad Richards is leading the attack for New York, but Enroth has only had to make one save.
13:24 - Another PP coming up for the blue and gold. No, they cannot decline the chance.
10:41 - Jochen Hecht is the lucky Sabre called for the team's first minor infraction of the game. It took an awfully long time for the "make up" call to come.
8:21 - SABRES GOAL. Marcus Foligno notches his second of the night on a very small rebound chance on Lundqvist, and Buffalo has a two-goal lead. Andrej Sekera took the shot from the point that the goalie could not handle. There was not a big opportunity there, but just enough for the youngster. 3-1 BUF.
1:51 - Lundqvist is out already. Down by a pair, they need a quick score.
End of Period
BUF - 2, NYR - 1
Goal Summary
BUF: 5:35 - Marcus Foligno (2) (Christian Ehrhoff, Andrej Sekera). 12:40 - Thomas Vanek (14) (Jason Pominville, Cody Hodgson).
NYR: 4:17 - Derek Stepan (7) SHG (Ryan Callahan).
Shots on Goal
BUF - 12 (19), NYR - 5 (15)
Third Period
16:53 - You had to know that the Rangers would come out flying, after laying an egg for the majority of the second period. Brad Richards is leading the attack for New York, but Enroth has only had to make one save.
13:24 - Another PP coming up for the blue and gold. No, they cannot decline the chance.
10:41 - Jochen Hecht is the lucky Sabre called for the team's first minor infraction of the game. It took an awfully long time for the "make up" call to come.
8:21 - SABRES GOAL. Marcus Foligno notches his second of the night on a very small rebound chance on Lundqvist, and Buffalo has a two-goal lead. Andrej Sekera took the shot from the point that the goalie could not handle. There was not a big opportunity there, but just enough for the youngster. 3-1 BUF.
1:51 - Lundqvist is out already. Down by a pair, they need a quick score.
End of Game
Buffalo - 3, New York Rangers - 1
Goal Summary
BUF: 11:48 - Marcus Foligno (3) (Andrej Sekera, Brian Flynn).
NYR: none
Shots on Goal
BUF - 3 (22), NYR - 17 (32)
Postgame
There are certainly many areas of the game that the Sabres need to clean up. Namely, the power play. However, this was a game that up by a goal heading into the final stanza that the Sabres had to win. Another third period collapse, and it would be same old Sabres. The team got a little bit over everything in the offense tonight, with Vanek getting a goal and Foligno netting a pair for that secondary scoring that we have talked about so much. The team now has some time to rest and gear up for a tilt Saturday with the Ottawa Senators. The St. Patrick's Day weekend meeting gets underway at three o'clock. I will have pregame coverage starting at 2 p.m. on the flagship home of the Sabres Radio Network - WGR Sports Radio 550.