BUFFALO, NY – It was only fitting a game which featured two of the top goaltenders in the NHL would be a typical defensive playoff struggle. Buffalo’s Ryan Miller wound up the winner as he stopped 38 shots by the Boston Bruins including 23 stops in a pressure-filled second period. Boston’s Tuukka Rask made a fine impression in his first NHL playoff action, but his 30 stops were not enough to give his team the victory.
The red-hot Thomas Vanek, who scored five times in the two games prior to the playoffs, put the Sabres up by a goal early in the first period. Derek Roy started the play when he caught Boston defender Matt Hunwick in limbo at the Sabres blue line. Roy tapped the puck past the overeager defender and carried the puck up ice before finding Vanek. The high-scoring winger accepted a pass from Roy and then beat Rask with a wrist shot.
Mark Recchi knotted the score for Boston when he converted a rebound given up by Miller. Boston captain Zdeno Chara fired a shot on Miller who failed to corral the puck. The goal enabled the 42-year old Recchi to become the third oldest player to ever score a goal during a Stanley Cup playoff game.
After receiving a goal from their hottest player to open the scoring, the Sabres collected the game-winner from a player who rarely scores. Craig Rivet, who scored once in 78 games this season, fired a shot past a screened Rask late in the second frame to provide Buffalo with the winning margin. Rivet accepted a pass from Tim Kennedy and scored as he used Patrick Kaleta as a screen.
Notes
Gordie Howe (52) and Chris Chelios (45) are the only players older than Recchi to score in the Stanley Cup playoffs…This is the eight meeting in the playoffs between the two organizations. Boston won the first five series between the clubs while the Sabres have won the two most recent series…After the Game 1 win Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff improved his opening game record to 13-4…Boston went into the game without the services of defenders Dennis Seidenberg and Mark Stuart, meanwhile the Sabres were without alternate captain Jochen Hecht.
Contact Tom.Schettino@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.