Sabres Edge

DETROIT -- There is no grand entrance to Joe Louis Arena. There's no merchandise store. The bathrooms are old and small. But this is hockey.

The arena, built in 1979, is just one big bowl inside. There are no high-class fans or low-class fans. Everyone is together. The public-address announcer just reads the names and scoring; he doesn't cheerlead. The national anthem is an audio recording of a band playing "The Star-Spangled Banner." The speakers are crackly. It's fun.

FIRST PERIOD

7:13 p.m.: Sabres take a 1-0 lead just 5:03 in when the hot line of Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford connect. Roy has scored five goals in five games.

It gave the large pockets of folks who made the journey from Buffalo reason to cheer. (Including the big group to my left that came on a bus chartered by my longtime friend Jennifer Zukowski-Pokigo, whom I ran into prior to the game.)

7:20 p.m.: Hockeytown gives standing ovation to the Red Wings, who are starting to find their legs. First they hit the post. Then goaltender Ty Conklin pulled a Hasekesque move, coming far out of the crease to thwart a Vanek breakaway chance. While the goalie was out, Andreas Lilja and Brad Stuart filled the vacated crease to stop Roy's shot at the open net. Conklin then scrambled back to make a glove save on Jochen Hecht.

7:27 p.m.: Folks watching on TV may see that the arena has plenty of empty seats. The game is actually sold out, but the weather is TERRIBLE. Snowy and icy all day.

7:38 p.m.: Defenseman Jaroslav Spacek gets a high-five from Ryan Miller as the period ends. Andrej Sekera lost the puck at the Buffalo blue line, giving deadly Wings snipers Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom a two-on-one. Spacek managed to break it up, and the Sabres go to the dressing room with a 1-0 lead.

7:47 p.m.: The only other time I covered a game here was Game Five of the Stanley Cup finals last season. I was amazed that sitting right near the Gordie Howe Entrance was Gordie Howe. He's back, signing his book. Awesome.

SECOND PERIOD

7:55 p.m.: Game on.

8:05 p.m.: Tim Connolly is always fun to watch. It's just a shame we don't get to see him often.

8:26 p.m.: The Red Wings end their frustration, scoring with three minutes left on a Jiri Hudler one-timer from the slot. The goal came on their 24th shot. The Sabres have 10.

8:30 p.m.: End of two, teams tied at 1-1. Red Wings have 25-10 shot advantage, including 12-4 in the second period.

THIRD PERIOD

8:47 p.m.: Game on.

9 p.m.: It's 9 o'clock on a Saturday ... the Wings' TV announcer just sang that verse from Billy Joel's "Piano Man" on the scoreboard.

9:03 p.m.: Red Wings get power play when Stafford drives net with 11:03 left and gets called for goaltender interference.

9:06 p.m.: Sabres' penalty killers remain good, earning applause from the busload to my left. Shots are 40-18 with 8:56 left.

9:12 p.m.: Sabres get their best chance to retake lead, when Jochen Hecht and Jason Pominville skate in on two-on-one with 5:41 left. But Hecht's pass was just out of Pominville's reach.

9:15 p.m.: This is the most technically sound Miller has played. He's squaring up to every Detroit shooter, and he hasn't had to make any dynamic saves because he's always in position.

9:21 p.m.: It's all over in 31.4 seconds from now. Red Wings score twice from close range just 59 seconds apart.

POSTGAME

The Sabres' winning streak ends at four, while the Red Wings roll to their sixth straight. Ryan Miller stopped 88 of 92 shots this weekend.

Miller: "I've got a lot of friends and family here. It was nice that they got to see some saves, but they come out for the wins."

Miller on being technically sound: "That's just what I'm trying to worry about now, square up, challenge, don't be a victim of the play. These great shooters are going to be able to go where they I want. I have to challenge and make them change their mind."

Coach Lindy Ruff: "They're a good team. They're probably the best team we've played."

Ruff on Hecht and Pominville missing the two-on-one: "You bury that we may have the opportunity to win the game."

Captain Craig Rivet: "Everybody's disappointed in this room. As much as you can say we were right there throughout the game, we lost. That's the bottom line. To give up a goal with 2 1/2 minutes against arguably the best team in the league, it's frustrating."

---John Vogl