BOSTON, Mass – As 2009 turned to 2010, Miroslav Satan was an unemployed hockey player waiting by his cell phone for a call from an NHL team. Just a few months later Satan became a hero as he calmly slid a backhander from the slot past Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller and defenseman Tyler Myers at the 7:41 mark of double overtime. Michael Ryder orchestrated the game-winner when he found the trailing Satan in the slot and slid the puck over to him. Buffalo opened the door for the Bruins as they made a bad line change to earn a too many men on the ice penalty. The win pushes the Bruins lead in the series to three games to one.
The score was a payback to Miller by Satan after the Sabres goaltender robbed the Bruins forward in the first overtime period. That period was spiced with solid saves from both of the goaltenders. Boston’s Tuukka Rask was called on to make several difficult saves, but it was Buffalo’s Ryan Miller who foiled the period’s most dangerous bids. Miller’s first sterling save came when he stopped Blake Wheeler on a shorthanded breakaway. Later in the frame Miller denied Satan’s backhanded game-winning bid with a diving glove save.
Overtime was brought on by a two-goal third period rally by the Bruins. Buffalo took a 2-0 lead on the strength of goals by Tim Kennedy and Steve Montador. It was the second time in this series the Bruins had rallied from two-goal deficit to win a game. The rally further tarnished Buffalo’s remarkable 30-0 regular season mark in games they held a lead in after two periods of play.
Kennedy potted a rebound of a Tyler Ennis shot at the 2:12 mark of the first period to start the contest off quickly for Buffalo. Kennedy’s score was followed by Montador’s, who blasted a shot past a screened Rask to give the Sabres a 2-0 lead early in the second period.
Buffalo attempted to stay on top of Boston in the final period, but Cody McCormick took an interference on the goaltender penalty before even two minutes had been played. David Krejci took advantage of the power play situation by knocking the puck past Miller just seconds into the extra man advantage. Patrice Bergeron tied the game when he accepted a pass from Daniel Paille and wristed a shot past Miller. It was the last goal for over two periods of play despite multiple scoring chances by each club.
Buffalo will attempt to stave off elimination in Game Five which is scheduled for Friday night in New York. Should the series need a sixth game it would be played in Boston on Monday night.
Contact Tom.Schettino@prohockeynews.com
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