Sabres Use Every Last Second To Beat Leafs In OT

It seems that most games between the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs are both entertaining and unpredictable. Tonight’s contest was no different. Perhaps it is due to the style of play these two teams tend to use: the kind of style the Buffalo Sabres excel at and the Maple Leafs try to play against their better judgment. The Sabres are one of best skating, most effective puck moving teams in the NHL and as a result, it allows them to play a run and gun style that few teams can match up against consistently. The Maple Leafs continue to try to play a similar style, devoid of much attention to defensive coverage. Clearly though over the last two seasons, they have shown again and again it is not one they can be successful at.

For two periods in tonight’s game, the Maple Leafs shut down the Sabres potent offense with air tight concentration in the defensive zone, an aggressive forecheck that led to scoring chances, and solid goaltending from Andrew Raycroft. In fact, Raycroft actually looked like a goaltender the Maple Leafs could win with during the first forty minutes of this game. He did make several stops off quality Sabre chances but his success was in part due to the fact that he was not left on his own to clean up after porous defensive zone play. Come the third period, the Maple Leafs decided to abandon what led them to success during the first forty minutes and take their chances by giving the Sabres the opportunity to use their speed.

Call it mission unaccomplished as that decision allowed the Sabres to tie the game quickly and efficiently over the span of thirty seven seconds midway through the third period on goals from former Maple Leaf Adam Mair and Jason Pominville. Two periods of hard work building a 2-0 lead was gone the moment the Sabres were allowed to start skating.

The two teams would trade goals for the remainder of the third period before Ales Kotalik was credited with the overtime winner, a goal that Bryan McCabe swatted into his own net just three seconds away from a shootout. In addition to McCabe’s struggles, Pavel Kubina seemed equally uncomfortable handling the puck committing several glaring turnovers. The Mats Sundin unit consisting of linemates Alex Steen and Jason Blake was victimized on the Sabres first two goals. On the night, Sundin’s line held a combined (-11) rating.

A newly comprised line of Nik Antropov centring John Pohl and Chad Kilger took advantage of increased ice time and was easily the Leafs best line. Kilger picked up his first two goals of the season, John Pohl earned three assists and Nik Antropov continued his impressive play with a goal and an assist.

The Maple Leafs are off until Thursday when they will return home to take on the Florida Panthers at Air Canada Centre.