Buffalo Sabres @ Chicago Blackhawks: Peanut Gallery Post Game Review
By Adam DeRose
The Buffalo Sabres gave the Chicago Blackhawks a battle in the United Center last night. Adam dishes on the game, NBC Sports, and more!
Puck drop for the Buffalo Sabres @ Chicago Blackhawks game was at 8:30pm. It was a pleasant surprise when I realized that annoying “Doc” Emrick was not announcing the game! Woo-hoo, mini victory!
By the time the game started, my hockey watching dudette Belle, had been asleep for an hour and a half. The Sabres came out looking a lot like Belle, asleep. It wasn’t long before the Blackhawks had 10 shots on goal compared to Buffalo’s singular shot. It seemed like all the Sabres could do was clear the puck out of their zone, make a quick line change, and wait for the Blackhawks to re-enter the Sabres’ zone. I quickly realized that it was not going to be a very fun game to watch from a Sabres’ fan’s perspective…but then Buffalo’s Marcus Foligno caught a sleeping Corey Crawford and scored a goal to break the shutout for Buffalo! For those of you who said a Buffalo native would score a goal, give yourself 5 points!
After one period of play, I felt the Sabres were lucky to head into the locker room with a 1-1 tie. It was a not a good sign when after the 1st period, Buffalo was being outshot 20-6! If anything, Buffalo Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson was going to earn his paycheck (or paycheque if you are Canadian).
The 2nd Period was boring until the final two minutes; that’s when it got exciting! Buffalo’s Kyle Okposo scored an ugly power play goal! Unfortunately Buffalo’s 2-1 lead didn’t last long. Chicago’s Artem Anisimov tied the game seconds later.
The Sabres started the 3rd Period on the power play, thanks to Jack Eichel drawing a penalty in the dying seconds of the 2nd. And thanks to Jack, he gave the Sabres a 3-2 lead on the power play. I am so thankful the Sabres have a relevant power play for once! I felt that the 3rd Period was the Sabre best period of play. After Jack’s goal, the Sabres looked like they wanted to play. Sadly, with just minutes left in the game, Artem Anisimov tied the game for Chicago, again, sigh.
When we went to Overtime, I knew the Buffalo Sabres were doomed…we have been down this road before several times. Even though Buffalo Sabres goaltender Anders Nilsson played a great game, he still let in the game winning goal…I wouldn’t say the Sabres choked in the national spot light. They played a good, hard game, but it was another difficult loss. At least they skated away with a meaningless point.
My final though: I should have played a drinking game during tonight’s contest. A shot (of beer or whatever) for every time NBC’s announcers referenced how Chicago Blackhawk player Patrick Kane was from Buffalo and how he was playing his hometown team…I think I would have been poopie-faced by the end of the 1st period, puking by the 2nd, and passed out well before the 3rd period started. Cheers!