Ok, so who predicted this one then?? After one of the most boring playoff games of recent times being played out by these 2 teams the other night they come back tonight and provide one of the most interesting 1st periods of playoff hockey and a truly entertaining game.
A pretty even 1st 4 minutes saw Buffalo start the game with tough checking and playing well defensively but exactly on the 4 minute mark Giroux was allowed to come into the zone and play between 4 players before firing the shot past Miller brilliantly.
16 seconds after the goal Scott Hartnell took the 1st penalty of the game, continuing to throw a check after both referee's had whistled. Not what you want to do after just going 1 up.
Timonen then got called for hooking to provide the Sabres with 22 seconds of 5 on 3 play. The Flyers killed off the 5 on 3 but conceeded a powerplay goal through Vanek as a lively puck shot between Gragnani and Pominville, neither controlling it but it bounced to Vanek who just about got it under control,enough to put into an open net.
From the following face off Gaustad checked a Flyer in the face off circle and Hartnell wanted to go with him. As the face off reset Kaleta and Briere started to push, shove and elbow each other on one wing and Gaustad and Hartnell were paired on the other wing. Gaustad and Hartnell picked up fighting majors, Kaleta and Briere picking up roughing minors.
Carcillo put the Flyers 2-1 up with the Sabres making a bad change allowing him to get free in front of the net. The wild action continued with the Flyers taking yet another penalty, Powe cross checking McCormick on the boards at 9.06
The Sabres equalise with their 2nd powerplay goal of the game and the 2nd goal for Vanek, stabbing away at the puck to the side of the net to put it in behind Bobrovsky.
The penalties continued, this time the Flyers getting a powerplay with Sekera getting 2 minutes for interference at 10.18
They thought they had taken a 3-2 lead when a blast from Syvret went straight into the helmet of Weber and continued to find it's way into the net through the side of the netting. Weber looked shaken but ok after the whack to the head.
It was the Sabres who took the lead 3-2 at 12.30 when O'Donnell stepped up in the Sabres end and the puck got past him allowing a breakout and Sekera to skate in on Bobrovski and fire the puck glove side and into the net. Bobrovski got pulled from the net to be replaced by Boucher.
Less than a minute later and the Flyers were level, Miller letting a short side shot by Van Riemsdyk past him. The final goal of a crazy 1st period which saw the shot count 13-10 to the Flyers.
The Flyers had over a minute of 5 on 3 play towards the end of the period after pentalties on Gerbe and Myers but Miller stood firm and the Sabres killed it off.
Both teams flared up at a few different points during the 1st period, real good tough playoff hockey began to come through and both teams showed passion and intensity. However, there were also some stupid penalties which individuals need to cut out. Penalty minutes give out in the 1st were 15-15.
The penalties continued at the start of the 2nd, Myers called at 2.57 for tripping and gave the Flyers yet another powerplay chance. The Sabres managed to kill this off with Sekera taking a puck full whack, limping off the ice to recover. 5.18 and another call on the Sabres - too many men sent the Flyers straight back to a 1 man advantage. The Sabres killed the powerplay yet again as the Flyers crowd started to get restless as the Flyers go 0/10 for the series on the PP.
Less than 30 seconds after the Sabres kill the powerplay they get there own as Carter was called for hooking a 7.13. 48 seconds into the powerplay Giroux intercepts the puck mid ice and is pulled down by Pomenville who picks up 2 minutes for tripping, ending the PP chance for the Sabres. Gaustad was then called for holding the stick to give another 5 on 3 chance to the Flyers for 39 seconds. The 5 on 3 time was comfortably killed, Briere having a shot blocked and a shot wide being the best chances.
As the Sabres kill the penalty the Sabres got called again for 2 minutes as Van Riemsdyk tried to get clear and Montador was called for tripping. The Flyers had an extended PP as they controlled the puck and Giroux fired off the bar as the Sabres couldn't touch up for the penalty to be called.
Finally the Flyers got their powerplay goal through Leino at 13.36, the puck seeming to deflect and go in shortside on Miller.
Philadelphia extended their lead to 2 goals at 15.27, Hartnell sending a tame looking shot towards the net which hit Briere's trailing skate, hit the post and went in behind Miller. A good goal, no kicking motion at all.
Only a few seconds later the Sabres took yet another penalty, Kaleta going for roughing at 15.39, the Flyers players taking exception to the play as tempers flared up again.
A 2nd too many men on the ice call of the game meant the Sabres ended the period with 1.51 of powerplay time and a chance to get themselves back into the game. Vanek had a shot from the circle well gloved by Boucher and a scrambling play in front of the net provided chances and the Flyers had a chance on a 2 on 1 breakaway with less than 20 second remaining but there was no more scoring and the Flyers went into the 3rd 5-3 up.
10 seconds into the 3rd period and Meszaros got called on a slash and the penalties continued to mount up.
4.03 saw another call on the Flyers Timonen for tripping sending the Sabres on their 7th powerplay.
Cody McCormick made it 5-4 just as the powerplay ended, Neidermeyer finding him infront of the net and McCormick tipping in
Flyers penalty troubles in the 3rd continued as straight after the goal Timonen fired the puck over the boards and picked up 2 minutes for delay of game. The 17th powerplay of the game so far.
It was the Flyers who had a great chance 2 on 1 shorthanded but Richards shot was saved by Miller and the rebound never made it onto Versteeg's stick as Miller covered up.
The Sabres returned to the box at 9.02 with Sekera going for High Sticking but the Flyers couldn't take advantage and the game remained at 5-4 going into the last 7 minutes of the game.
There were no more penalties called in the last 7 minutes giving us the longest run of 5 on 5 play but the Sabres couldn't find a way through Boucher who made 20/21 saves after replacing Bobrovsky in the 1st period and the Flyers tied the series 1-1.
A total contrast to the 1st game with 9 goals, wild penalties being taken and entertainment galore. Miller didn't have the best of games early on and would have liked a couple of goals back whilst Boucher played well and could have wrestled the starting spot off Bobrovski for game 3.
I can't remember having ever seen so many 2 minute minors in 1 game of ice hockey in a playoff series. The Sabres had all sorts of penalty trobule in the 2nd followed by the Flyers doing the same at the start of the 3rd.
If Chris Pronger had been on the blue line for the Flyers would they have come away with more than 1 powerplay goal on the 10 powerplays they had??
Man of the match for me was Claude Giroux. He seemed to be everywhere on the ice tonight and got a goal and an assist to his name as well.
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