Live from the Arena: Sabres vs. Canes

Keep it here for updates as the Sabres (11-11-1) battle the Carolina Hurricanes (14-9-3). It's the teams' second meeting of the season with Carolina winning the first one, 6-2, Oct. 24 in Raleigh. You can drop a comment during the game at the bottom of the post.

3rd Period

It's over:  The final was 8-1 as Ray Whitney ruined Ryan Miller's shutout with 1:55 to go. That was about the only negative all night. Big way to head into a West Coast trip.

3:51 left: Most of the crowd is reveling in "Sweet Caroline", Boston Red Sox-style, while some head for the exits. Only suspense left is to see if Ryan Miller gets his shutout. Most of November, didn't eight goals seem like a month's worth? Bizarre how things turn.

7:57 left: 8-0 as Jaro Spacek pounds one home to give the Sabres a season-high in goals. The fans want more and more and they're getting it. This will never be payback for 2006 but you can tell everyone in the building is enjoying this beating against the team that ruined what was probably the Sabres' best chance ever at a Stanley Cup. Seriously, were you worried about the Edmonton Oilers that June?

9:26 left: It's 7-0 as Kotalik gets his second of the night on the power play just 13 seconds into a Carolina penalty. Perfect backhand feed from Paul Gaustad produced an easy tap-in. Ties the season high for goals set in the 7-3 win over Washington on Oct. 13.

9:40 left: The Sabres are going to be 6-1 in their last seven games while Ottawa is 1-7 in its last eight after today's 5-2 loss to the Rangers. What was once a 17-point deficit in the Northeast Division is suddenly down to just nine in a span of two weeks.

13:03 left: Some technical difficulties here. But no complaints. I could be John Grahame trying to play goal! Anyway, it's now 6-0 as Derek Roy scored on a shorthanded breakaway at 1:44 off a perfect pass from Tim Connolly and Thomas Vanek just potted a breakaway at 6:57 thanks to a Drew Stafford pass. There was some drama on that one as the puck went in, light went on, horn went off -- but the referee waved it off and play continued for several seconds. Justice was served, however, in the replay booth.

2nd Period

0:00 left: The Sabres have a 16-14 edge in shots and it's 4-0 after two. Couple nice saves by Ryan Miller on Eric Staal and Matt Cullen to preserve the shutout.

3:32 left: Things were still silent until the sabres erupted for two goals in 56 seconds to make it 4-0. Adam Mair scored his third of the season at 15:32 on a perfect feed off a faceoff from Paul Gaustad and Maxim Afinogenov streaked down the left side and fired a slapshot home at 16:28 to make it 4-0. Just 30 seconds later, Drew Stafford was awarded a penalty shot but was thwarted as he tried to deke Grahame. This guy is shaky from long range. Shoooot!!

By the way, Afinogenov had gone 12 games without a goal (since Nov. 1 at Boston) while Mair hadn't scored in his last eight since Oct. 15 against Toronto.

12:13 left: Not much happening as the Sabres still lead, 2-0, and both teams have three shots on goal. Thomas Vanek, who played a team-high 7:40 in the first period after John Vogl noted today that he's not getting the ice time most elite-paid players get, has taken back-to-back penalties. The Sabres killed off his cross checking infraction but now he's in the box for slashing.

1st Period

0:00 left: The Sabres lead, 2-0, even though they didn't do a whole lot after getting both of their goals and five of their seven shots on goal in the first 4:18. Carolina outshot Buffalo, 8-7, and had the better of the play in the final 10 minutes but Ryan Miller was up to the task. No question there's some in-your-face action between these two teams as there were plenty of hard hits, highlighted by Jaroslav Spacek's old-school hip check that toppled Eric Staal.

6:57 left: Better news: Adam Mair and Spacek are back on the ice.

10:43 left: Ouch. Mair's return might be a short one as he got drilled on his bum ankle by a slapshot from Matt Cullen and limped to the dressing room. A few seconds later, Spacek took a puck to his foot and also limped off. Jeez.

15:42 left: It's already 2-0 as the Sabres have gotten exactly the jump they wanted to get while the Canes look every bit like a team tired after playing at home last night. Ales Kotalik ripped a wrist shot past John Grahame at 1:32, a shot that should have been stopped, and Tim Connolly rifled home a slapper from 50 feet at 4:18 with Buffalo enjoying a 4-on-3 advantage. It was Kotalik's sixth goal of the year (first at even strength) and Connolly's third. The Sabres have a 5-0 edge in shots.

Pregame update

In case you missed it earlier today on Buffalonews.com (shame on you!), Lindy Ruff announced after today's morning skate that Brian Campbell will be the team's December captain. Seems reasonable enough the way Campbell has been playing but you can have your say here.

The Sabres' only healthy scratch for tonight is Andrew Peters. Henrik Tallinder (shoulder) and Dmitri Kalinin (knee) remain sidelined by injuries. Adam Mair is back in the lineup for the first time since suffering an ankle injury Nov. 5 in Montreal; Clarke MacArthur has been returned to Rochester to make room for him.

Ryan Miller is again in goal for Buffalo while Carolina is going with backup John Grahame. Cam Ward, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 2006, is getting the night off after beating Washington, 4-3, Friday in Raleigh.

---Mike Harrington

Comments

[Heather in Charleston, SC]

How beautiful was that to watch?! I hope no one minds me stealing a line from Pantera here...but the Sabres showed a vulgar display of power over Carolina tonight...and it was AMAZING!! I LOVE it when we not only beat a team...but beat a team up!!!

GO SABRES!!!

[Tricky Dick]

I hate it when the Sabres run up the score on hapless opponents.

[Sully My Pants]

Good post, William....typically erudite Flyers fan.

[william morgan]

THE SABRES SUCK GO FLYERS GO FLYERS YES