Jets cut down by Sabres
Buffalo Sabres (4) vs Winnipeg Jets (2).......
The Sabres visited Winterpeg in hopes of extending their two game win streak and catching Carolina for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The Jets not mathematically eliminate yet but their tee-off time all but set, hope to climb out of their four game losing skid.
Tomas Plekanec (29th) struck first for Buffalo at 7:42 of the opening period on the powerplay as "Little Joe" Pavelski set him up beautifully in the right face off circle and he lifted a snap shot over Pekke Rinne in net for Winnipeg. Rick Nash doubled the Sabres lead with his 28th less than ninety seconds later while the teams were back at full strength as Nash wristed a shot through a screen and past Rinne. The period ended with the Sabres holding a 12-9 shot advantage.
In the second Buffalo struck again with the extra man as d-man Victor Bartley notched his 4th of the year at 12:52, Nash and Plekanec both getting their second point of the night with assists. Winnipeg finally got on the board at 14:55 as Patrik Elias deflected a Andrej Meszaros' slapper over the shoulder of Roberto Luongo. After forty minutes the Sabres led 26-22 in shots.
"Jumbo" Joe Thornton (25th) got the Jets within one at 13:49 of the third as he beat David Desharnais clean off a face-off at the left of Luongo and caught the goalie off guard with a quick snap shot that found it's way through the legs of the tender. David Desharnais (24th) would make up for his earlier gaffe in the face-off circle as he took a Pavelski feed and beat Rinne low stick for the eventual winner at 15:14 of the third. The shots after sixty minutes were 30 apiece.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Patrik Elias (Wpg).......... 1 goal, 1 assist, with a team high 8 SOG.
2 - Tomas Plekanec (Buf).... 1 goal, 1 assist, -1 and 3 SOG
3 - Victor Bartley (Buf)......... 1 goal, 1 assist
Reporting For The WCHL Network......
Peter Puck
The Sabres visited Winterpeg in hopes of extending their two game win streak and catching Carolina for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The Jets not mathematically eliminate yet but their tee-off time all but set, hope to climb out of their four game losing skid.
Tomas Plekanec (29th) struck first for Buffalo at 7:42 of the opening period on the powerplay as "Little Joe" Pavelski set him up beautifully in the right face off circle and he lifted a snap shot over Pekke Rinne in net for Winnipeg. Rick Nash doubled the Sabres lead with his 28th less than ninety seconds later while the teams were back at full strength as Nash wristed a shot through a screen and past Rinne. The period ended with the Sabres holding a 12-9 shot advantage.
In the second Buffalo struck again with the extra man as d-man Victor Bartley notched his 4th of the year at 12:52, Nash and Plekanec both getting their second point of the night with assists. Winnipeg finally got on the board at 14:55 as Patrik Elias deflected a Andrej Meszaros' slapper over the shoulder of Roberto Luongo. After forty minutes the Sabres led 26-22 in shots.
"Jumbo" Joe Thornton (25th) got the Jets within one at 13:49 of the third as he beat David Desharnais clean off a face-off at the left of Luongo and caught the goalie off guard with a quick snap shot that found it's way through the legs of the tender. David Desharnais (24th) would make up for his earlier gaffe in the face-off circle as he took a Pavelski feed and beat Rinne low stick for the eventual winner at 15:14 of the third. The shots after sixty minutes were 30 apiece.
MOLSON'S 3 STARS:
1 - Patrik Elias (Wpg).......... 1 goal, 1 assist, with a team high 8 SOG.
2 - Tomas Plekanec (Buf).... 1 goal, 1 assist, -1 and 3 SOG
3 - Victor Bartley (Buf)......... 1 goal, 1 assist
Reporting For The WCHL Network......
Peter Puck
