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Sabres Rally, Beat Leafs in Shootout 5-4



Dan Cave Reporting

The Sabres battled back from a pair of two-goal deficits on Thursday and picked up a 5-4 shootout win over the Maple Leafs. Steve Ott notched the shootout winner in front of a raucous First Niagara Center crowd.

The two teams wasted little time in providing the Sabres, and Leafs, fans in attendance with fireworks as Ott and Dion Phaneuf started chirping at each other early. Then, just 2:09 in, John Scott and Frazer McLaren traded punches right off a faceoff while Colton Orr jumped Patrick Kaleta and started firing away. Orr was given a game misconduct and the Sabres ended up with a four-minute power play, but failed to capitalize.

Later in the period, Ott made his presence felt, flattening Mikhail Grabovski along the boards. After getting tangled up with Phaneuf moments later, Ott blew the Toronto defenseman a kiss with his glove and was slapped with an unsportsmanlike conduct call. It took the Leafs just 16 seconds to score on the power play as Tyler Bozak ripped a shot into the net for the 1-0 lead. Toronto made it 2-0 moments later when Nazem Kadri tipped a Nikolai Kulemin pass past Miller's right pad. Tyler Ennis got Buffalo on the board late in the opening period, taking a pass from Ott behind the net, and stuffing a shot between Reimer's pads as the power play expired.

Grabovski deflected a Jake Gardiner shot past Miller at 8:52 of the 2nd period to put Toronto back up by a pair, but Marcus Foligno made it a one-goal game once again less than two minutes later. After losing his footing while trying to deke Reimer on a breakaway chance, Foligno gathered a rebound moments later and slammed it home to make it a 3-2 game. Less than a minute after that, Pominville tied it with his 10th of the season and first since March 2nd, snapping an eight-game scoreless streak. Pominville took the pass through traffic from Cody Hodgson behind the Leafs net and snapped a shot over Reimer's glove to pull Buffalo even 3-3.

Christian Ehrhoff put the Sabres ahead for the first time just 22 seconds into the final period, blasting a power play shot by Reimer's blocker. Kadri tied it up once again with a power play goal of his own, however, later in the period. The two sides would head to overtime and then a shootout, where Ott ended it in the 6th round, sneaking the puck by Reimer's left pad. Miller stopped Clarke MacArthur on the ensuing attempt and Buffalo skated away with a 5-4 victory, good for the team's second win in a row.

The Sabres return to Montreal, where they won earlier this week, on Saturday for a 7 p.m. faceoff. Hear the call on WGR 550 and the Buffalo Sabres Radio Network with Rick Jeanneret and Rob Ray.


1st Period
Goals
8:48 - TOR - Tyler Bozak (PPG) (9) (Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf)
10:02 - TOR - Nazem Kadri (12) (Nikolai Kulemin, Clarke MacArthur)
18:54 - BUF - Tyler Ennis (9) (Steve Ott, Christian Ehrhoff)

Penalties
2:09 - TOR - Colton Orr (2 min., instigator)
2:09 - TOR - Colton Orr (2 min., cross checking, served by Matt Frattin)
2:09 - TOR - Colton Orr (5 min. major, fighting)
2:09 - TOR - Colton Orr (10 min., game misconduct)
2:09 - TOR - Frazer McLaren (5 min. major, fighting)
2:09 - BUF - Patrick Kaleta (5 min. major, fighting)
2:09 - BUF - John Scott (5 min. major, fighting)
8:32 - BUF - Steve Ott (2 min., unsportsmanlike conduct)

2nd Period
Goals
8:52 - TOR - Mikhail Grabovski (7) (Jake Gardiner, Nazem Kadri)
11:39 - BUF - Marcus Foligno (4) (Kevin Porter, Christian Ehrhoff)
12:24 - BUF - Jason Pominville (10) (Cody Hodgson)

Penalties
6:42  - BUF - Steve Ott (2 min., slashing)
11:48 - TOR - Phil Kessel (2 min., unsportsmanlike conduct)
11:48 - BUF - John Scott (2 min., unsportsmanlike conduct)
13:30 - BUF - Tyler Myers (2 min., interference)
19:39 - TOR - Clarke MacArthur (2 min., slashing)

3rd Period
Goals
0:22 - BUF - Christian Ehrhoff (PPG) (3) (Cody Hodgson, Tyler Ennis)
6:33 - TOR - Nazem Kadri (PPG) (13) (Cody Franson, Phil Kessel)

Penalties
4:57 - BUF - Tyler Ennis (2 min., slashing)
18:43 - TOR - Nikolai Kulemin (2 min., high-sticking)

Overtime
Goals
None

Penalties
None

Shootout
BUF - Jason Pominville - MISS
TOR - Nazem Kadri - MISS
BUF - Tyler Ennis - MISS
TOR - Tyler Bozak - GOAL
BUF - Drew Stafford - GOAL
TOR - James van Riemsdyk - MISS
BUF - Cody Hodgson - MISS
TOR - Phil Kessel - MISS
BUF - Ville Leino - MISS
TOR - Mikhail Grabovski - MISS
BUF - Steve Ott - GOAL
TOR - Clarke MacArthur - MISS

Goaltending
TOR - James Reimer (32 saves, 36 shots)
BUF - Ryan Miller (30 saves, 34 shots)

Power Plays
TOR - 2 of 4
BUF - 1 of 5

Three Stars
1.) BUF - Christian Ehrhoff (1 G, 2 A)
2.) TOR - Nazem Kadri (2 G, 1 A)
3.) BUF - Tyler Ennis (1 G, 1 A)

Filed Under :  
Topics : Sports
Social :
Locations : Buf, Buffalo, Tor, Toronto
People : Christian Ehrhoff, Clarke MacArthur, Cody Franson, Cody Hodgson, Colton Orr, Dion Phaneuf, Drew Stafford, Frazer McLaren, Jake Gardiner, James Reimer, James van Riemsdyk, Jason Pominville, John Scott, Kevin Porter, Marcus Foligno, Matt Frattin, Mikhail Grabovski, Nikolai Kulemin, Patrick Kaleta, Phil Kessel, Ryan Miller, Steve Ott, Tyler Bozak, Tyler Ennis, Tyler Myers
03/22/2013 5:56AM
Sabres Rally, Beat Leafs in Shootout 5-4
Please enter your comments below.
03/22/2013 7:04AM
A fun game for all
Hodgson did not make the three stars, but he played one hell of a game. His d-game has improved of late, and he is playing up to his billing. I agree with all those yelling for Dary to be fired, but he got that trade right.
03/22/2013 7:48AM
just enough
to keep this pathetic team in tact for next year, Leafs played the night before BTW so they were in a back to back and still picked up a point. Good game to watch, Kaleta, Scott, Ott, Regheir = Physical, fun hockey, get rid of some of the midgets and bring in more physical players, at least if we are going to lose we can beat the other team up
03/22/2013 8:37AM
They won but,
Miller sucks. Just trade this bum. Get him outta here!!! I had enough of him.
03/22/2013 9:11AM
goals allowed
you cant expect the team to score 5 goals every time Miller is in net..he lets 4 goals in every time he plays im sick of it already!
03/22/2013 9:12AM
Goaltender trade talk at the game last night at FNC with Leafs fans between periods
Luongo to Toronto, Reimer to Vancouver, Schnieder to Buffalo, and Miller to Vancouver.
03/22/2013 9:41AM
Is Regier gone yet?
Sabres will fall to the BK form
03/22/2013 10:32AM
Where would this team be without Ott?
He's been an invaluable addition to this team. Brings the intensity this team has been lacking for so long. Although John Scott isn't an offensive juggernat, i think he's also a key piece to the team's success and should be in the line up more. He often sets the tone for the game and opens up the ice for our playmakers.
03/22/2013 10:56AM
Another game, another dead day at GR and The FNC
Where are the blogs??? Any trades yet??? Any Sabres rumors??? Anybody at WGR manning the helm??? Is Miller, Sekera, and Stafford going out west??? Is the elevator music on??? ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...OH SO DEAD.
03/22/2013 12:27PM
REGIER MUST GO
WHY CAN'T PEGULA GET RID OF HIM, HE IS AWFUL. HIS INTERVIEW YESTERDAY WAS PATHETIC, HE HAS NOT ONE ANSWER TO MAKE THIS TEAM BETTER. HE WILL NOT MAKE ANY MEANINGFUL MOVES AND WHY WOULD PATRICK ROY WANT TO WORK WITH HIM, HE NEEDS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
03/22/2013 12:50PM
Will we ever see the Sabres blow any team out ever again???
As long as we got Mister Softie between the pipes giving up 4 a game...that is a definite NO. Just the thought of the NHL talking about smaller goaltending equipment. If that ever happened, just imagine Mister Softie in that situation. OH MY GODD!
03/22/2013 1:20PM
Only reason Stafford isn't worried about being traded...
Is because Marcy already signed this bum to a four year deal so he is guaranteed $16 million dollars to do nothing worthwhile for at least two more seasons. 'Stafford, two minutes for loitering. Time of the penalty... does it matter?'
03/22/2013 7:39PM
Miller to the Canucks e3... Sekera to Anaheim e4
More to come...
03/23/2013 5:26PM
re: Where would this team be without Ott?
Exactly where they are and always have been... Golfing this SPRING!! Get your clubs ready.... FFFOREVERFORE EXTENDIUM REGEIRIUM!!! ELITE my Azzz..
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