Bolts Beat Sabres

By on October 23, 2011

Tampa, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Lightning went into last night’s game looking to do something they have not done yet this season.  Win two in a row.  This would not be an easy task considering the opponent, the Buffalo Sabres, were 5-1 overall and 4-0 on the road.  Not to mention Sabres goalie Ryan Miller sporting his Ryan Miller 1.61 GAA.  Coming into the game the Sabres had only given up 10 goals in six games tie for first in the Eastern Conference (NY Islanders).

The arena formerly known as the Ice Palace was jammed to the rafters with a sell-out 19,204 all charged up as the tesla coils finally emitted, well ah what tesla coil emit, I guess it’s electricity.  The crowd  was as usual when the Sabres are in town,  dotted with a following of transplant and visiting Western New Yorkers.

The teams skated dead-locked in the first with just two penalty minutes apiece which were co-incidence roughing calls to Sabres Patrick Kaleta and Steve Downie and the shots were 8-7 in favor of the home team.

Is was not until the 4:51 point of the second period when the 6 foot 4, 258 lb. defenseman Pavel Kubina scored his first of the season when he took a nice pass from Steven Stamkos and beat Miller from the right point.

The Lightning would again notch the scoreboard when the Buffalo defense failed to clear the when the clearing attempt hit the heel of Lightning forward Brett Connolly.  The puck was picked up by Vinny Lecavalier and he guided a perfect pass to Marty St. Louis who was on the doorstep.   St. Louis put a move on Miller, he went down and St. Louis beat Miller easily.  It seemed like a huge two goal cushion the way the Lightning defense was playing.

The third began with the Lightning up 2-0. The Lightning continued tight checking especially on the back-side.  I notice Lightning center Adam Hall consistently working in the low slot on the defensive end.  The main hi-lights of the last twenty minutes were the Lightning killing off two short-handed sessions with ease. 

The air horn would sound two more times (which incidentally started in Buffalo), the first time was as Victor Hedman waltzed in uncontested on an empty net after he flipped the puck in for a 3-0 lead with only 1:27 left.

The next time the horn sounded was when 0:00 showed on the scoreboard at the end of the third period.

The Lightning improved to 2-3-2 and the Sabres pick up their second loss of the season now at 5-2-0.

Same to teams meet in Buffalo on Tuesday night.

Categories: Hockey, Sports
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