Buffalo 4, San Jose 2
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, February 28, 2014
Where: First Niagara Center, Buffalo, New York
Referees:
Dan O'Rourke, Kevin Pollock
Linesmen:
Derek Amell, Mike Cvik
Attendance:
19070
By SportsDirect Inc.
Sabres 4, Sharks 2: Defenseman Tyler Myers collected a goal and two assists as host Buffalo won its season-high third straight game shortly after trading goaltender Ryan Miller to St. Louis in a blockbuster deal.
Brian Flynn snapped a tie early in the third period, Cody Hodgson netted his 50th career goal and Matt Moulson also tallied for the Sabres. Jhonas Enroth turned aside 36 shots in the spot start for Buffalo, which also sent captain Steve Ott to the Blues for goaltender Jaroslav Halak, forward Chris Stewart, prospect William Carrier, a 2015 first-round selection and a 2016 third-round pick.
James Sheppard scored to snap a 35-game goalless drought and Patrick Marleau also tallied for the Sharks, who fell flat against the NHL's worst team after erupting for a 7-3 triumph over Philadelphia on Thursday.
A faceoff win by Zemgus Girgensons allowed Flynn to score from the outer edge of the right faceoff circle and give the Sabres a 2-1 lead at 4:33 of the third period. Moulson scored from in close against Antti Niemi (16 saves) just three minutes later to extend his point streak to five games. Marleau trimmed the deficit with 1:15 to play, but Myers scored into an empty net to end the comeback attempt.
With Tyler Kennedy serving a holding penalty, Hodgson opened the scoring midway through the first period as his shot from the left faceoff dot squeezed past Niemi and inside the near post. Sheppard forged a tie halfway into the second, tapping home the rebound of defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic's blast off the end boards for his first tally since Oct. 27.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Buffalo honored Miller with a video tribute during the third period, with the fans providing a standing ovation. Selected in the fifth round of the 1999 draft, Miller played 540 games for the Sabres and won the 2010 Vezina Trophy. The 33-year-old is expected to join the Blues in time for Sunday's road game against Phoenix. ... The blockbuster deal forced the Sabres to dress Ryan Vinz as Enroth's backup. Vinz, 28, is the team's former video scout and had no prior NHL experience. ... Sabres D Christian Ehrhoff told The Buffalo News that the team asked him to submit a list of eight clubs where he wouldn't accept a trade. ... Buffalo C Tyler Ennis missed his second straight game due to general body soreness. ... Sharks LW Raffi Torres was scratched one day after scoring a pair of goals in his season debut.
Top Game Performances
| San Jose |
|
Buffalo |
|
Dan Boyle 2 |
Points |
Tyler Myers 3 |
|
Patrick Marleau 1 |
Goals |
Tyler Myers 1 |
|
Dan Boyle 2 |
Assists |
Tyler Myers 2 |
|
N/A |
Power Play Goals |
Cody Hodgson 1 |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
|
Antti Niemi .842 |
Save Percentage |
Jhonas Enroth .947 |
|
Antti Niemi 16 |
Saves |
Jhonas Enroth 36 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| San Jose
|
38 |
2 |
0-2 |
1-2 |
4 |
28 |
| Buffalo
|
20 |
4 |
1-2 |
2-2 |
4 |
34 |
Upcoming Games
-
Buffalo will play their next game on the road against Dallas. The Sabres have a W/L % of .235 after a win and .326 after a loss.
-
San Jose will play their next game on the road against New Jersey. The Sharks have a W/L % of .641 after a win and .591 after a loss.
For more information, contact us