Sabres Edge

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Settling into my seat in BankAtlantic Center with my pals George Richard of the Miami Herald and Steve Gorten of the Sun-Sentinel, and I think we just tripled the attendance. Well, maybe it's not that extreme, but it's the typical Panthers crowd of a few thousand die-hards.

Tough to see, but I really can't blame the folks down here. It was 78 and sunny, and if I weren't getting paid to be here, I'd still be along the water on A1A drinking Giant Margaritas or listening to bands at the Elbo Room. I can't imagine having to pay to come inside instead of being out in the great weather.

Interesting day so far, hockeywise. Chatted with Denis Potvin this morning. I liked Potvin, Bryan Trottier and the Islanders growing up only because I always used that team while playing tabletop hockey. Yet here he was, a Hall of Famer, and the first thing that popped into my mind was the chant the Rangers fans shout every game. Thankfully, the thought quickly passed and it was a good conversation.

I also taped an Internet show with former Sabre and current Panthers radio announcer Randy Moller. It will be on the Panthers' Web site on Sunday. No matter how good it turns out (and I think it went well), it'll only be the second-best thing on the team's site. (Come on, I'm sure you can guess the best thing.)

FIRST PERIOD

7:38 p.m.: Game on.

7:51 p.m.: Aside from the guy right below me with a horn, quiet so far.

8:11 p.m.: End of one, no score. Sabres take 18-10 edge in shots, but few great chances for either team.

SECOND PERIOD

8:29 p.m.: Game back on.

8:42 p.m.: Sabres hold 24-14 edge in shots with 10:11 left, but best save so far belongs to Ryan Miller. He stuck out a pad to thwart Kamil Kreps on a short-handed two-on-one.

8:55 p.m.: Crowd wakes up as Florida scores twice in 35 seconds to take a 2-0 lead with 3:43 left.

9 p.m.: After 40 minutes, it's 2-0 Panthers. Sabres hold a 28-20 edge in shots but haven't beaten Craig Anderson, who entered game with .943 save percentage.

THIRD PERIOD

9:18 p.m.: Game back on. Sabres are 3-8-1 when trailing after two periods.

9:29 p.m.: Still 2-0 with 13:19 left. If the Sabres get shut out, they will have gone 152:21 without a goal. The last tally came when Thomas Vanek scored 7:39 into the second period Saturday in Montreal.

9:39 p.m.: Ales Kotalik scores on five-on-three to make it 2-1 with 8:41 left.

POSTGAME

Sabres lose, 2-1, and the biggest news is coach Lindy Ruff is not happy with the play of Miller.

Ruff on the two quick goals: "You’ve got to get saves there. You’ve got to get saves. That’s just the bottom line. You’ve got to get big saves at a time like that. When we’re pushing hard, we’re going to need a big save, and I’m not going to back off that."

Ruff on the first goal, which came on a cross-ice pass: "I thought it was an easy play for Ryan to read. The guy on the other side wasn’t showing shot, and I thought it was an easy play to get over and make the save."

---John Vogl