Third Period Is good enough for Buffalo

Well, the Sabres managed to win that one. At the end of two periods Buffalo was down 4-1 and got booed off of the ice. The team had been mostly outplaying Tampa Bay, but had allowed countless wide open shots and other defensive meltdowns to hand over this game to the Lightning. The population of Pominville had ticked up by one, but there was little reason to believe that the Sabres were going to make a serious run at a comeback. Well come back they did, and Buffalo won the game 7-4.

Jason Pominville was an all-star in this game, and after scoring the only Buffalo goal in the first two periods, scored an early one in the third. Then sixteen seconds later he assisted on Hecht's twentieth goal of the season. Thomas Vanek also had a good game earning himself a natural hat-trick on some rather odd goals, including one where he swatted a puck out of the air from behind the goaltender. All three of those goals were assisted by Derek Roy and Drew Stafford. With the Hecht, Gaustad, Pominville line responsible for the other four goals, not everyone had that great of a game. Maxim Afinogenov, was a team worst minus two, with a penalty, a giveaway, and two shots on net.

On Defense, Lydman was surprisingly weak, giving up the puck five times, and being on the ice for one goal against. On the other hand Sekera and Weber both played very well and were plus five each, with Weber leading the team with five hits. Funk and Pratt both saw limited ice time, and were a combined minus three in the game.

Tampa Bay's goals came with no surprises as Lecavalier scored two, with St. Louis picking up another. While the two of them combined for five points on the night, they also had a combined plus minus of negative three.

Official Three Stars

Jason Pominville

Derek Roy

Paul Gaustad

My Three Stars

Jason Pominville (two goals, two assists, plus four)

Jochen Hecht (seven shots, two goals, one assist, plus four)

Thomas Vanek (hat-trick)