May 16, 2007 -- The Buffalo Sabres didn't go too quietly into the night in their playoff series with the Ottawa Senators this particular night.
The Sabres had lost the first three games of their series with the Senators, but took Game Five by a 3-2 score in Ottawa. That meant the series was going back to Buffalo.
"We didn't want to end our season here," Sabres center Paul Gaustad said to The News' Tim Graham. "With the group of guys we have here, we really didn't want that to happen. We wanted to win this game. It was huge for us, but it's another do-or-die the next night. Every game is going to be do-or-die for us, but we haven't given up all year, and we're not going to give up now."
Buffalo's power play had been terrible in the series, but Maxim Afinogenov struck to get the Sabres' sleeping offense started. Chris Drury and Derek Roy also scored. Then it was just a matter of holding on to gain the road victory.
"It's a momentum change," Sabres defenseman Henrik Tallinder said. "Now they're going to get the tough questions by the media. Now, we're coming into our barn. It's going to be a different kind of mind-set."
Ottawa held up just fine, winning Game Five.
--- Budd Bailey
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