NHL: Detroit Red Wings make it seven in a row over a listless Buffalo Sabres
Lance Jenkinson
December 3, 2011
IT was one-way traffic from start to finish as Detroit Red Wings pummelled a hapless Buffalo Sabres 4-1 on their home rink at the First Niagara Center.
The Red Wings were sizzling from the outset with three first period goals that silenced the home fans.
Jakub Kindl, Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula fired goals past Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth, while in the same breath Derek Roy, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek were picking up two-minute penalties for indiscretions.
With the score 3-0 at the first intermission, there was no way back for the Sabres.
The Red Wings, led superbly by first star Franzen, did what they had to do to kill off the game and then shared around the minutes.
There was no scoring until the third when both teams found the back of the net.
Jochen Hecht scored for the Sabres to deny a shut out to Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, but whatever hope the hosts had went when Enroth vacated his net in search of a numerical advantage and Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk pounced to score an empty netter.
The in-form Red Wings have won seven straight games.
NHL
December 3
Detroit Red Wings 4 Buffalo Sabres 1
December 3, 2011
IT was one-way traffic from start to finish as Detroit Red Wings pummelled a hapless Buffalo Sabres 4-1 on their home rink at the First Niagara Center.
The Red Wings were sizzling from the outset with three first period goals that silenced the home fans.
Jakub Kindl, Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula fired goals past Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth, while in the same breath Derek Roy, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek were picking up two-minute penalties for indiscretions.
With the score 3-0 at the first intermission, there was no way back for the Sabres.
The Red Wings, led superbly by first star Franzen, did what they had to do to kill off the game and then shared around the minutes.
There was no scoring until the third when both teams found the back of the net.
Jochen Hecht scored for the Sabres to deny a shut out to Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, but whatever hope the hosts had went when Enroth vacated his net in search of a numerical advantage and Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk pounced to score an empty netter.
The in-form Red Wings have won seven straight games.
NHL
December 3
Detroit Red Wings 4 Buffalo Sabres 1
NHL: Four straight as eastern leaders Dallas Stars 'measure' up to Washington Capitals
Kari Lehtonen
Lance Jenkinson
November 8, 2011
THE Dallas Stars remain a bogey team for the Washington Capitals and a front-runner of the National Hockey League’s western conference after four straight wins.
The Stars improved to an 11-3 record on the season with a comprehensive 5-2 victory on the road at the Verizon Center in the US capital.
The travelling Stars drew first blood after 10 minutes when Michael Ryder slapped a long range shot into the skates of Caps right wing Troy Brouwer, which wrong footed goalie Michel Neuvirth and slid into the net.
This was in keeping with the flow of play as the visitors had dominated the majority of the first period.
When the Caps impressed their attack on the Stars defence line, they were repeatedly turned back by in-form shot stopper Kari Lehtonen, who improved to 11-1 on the night.
No surprise that it was Alexander Semin who finally broke through Lehtonen’s defences to have the Caps on level terms with five minutes to go in the first period.
Semin was most dominant Cap on the ice in the opening 20 minutes and left unattended in front of the net and found by a superb backhanded pass from Nicklas Backstrom.
Moments later, Neuvirth, who had made a number of outstanding saves in the first stanza, denied Ryder with an out-stretched stick.
But the Stars kept huffing and puffing and eventually blew the house down as Ryder sent in his second goal to make it 2-1 with 2.44 remaining in the period.
Nearly 16 minutes elapsed before the only goal of the second period was scored, an equaliser to the Caps straight from the face-off.
John Carlson received the puck from Cody Eakin after Marcus Johansson won the draw and slapped a bullet from distance to make it 2-2, a just reward for a mini period of attacking play by the Caps.
A frantic finish to the period, mainly brought about by a two-minute penalty to defender Dennis Wideman for delay of game, yielded no net finders.
But the power play would prove fruitful 24 seconds into the third period for the Stars when Adam Burish grafted a move and shot around Neuvirth shortly after a face off for a 3-2 lead.
The Stars once again underlined how lethal they can be with an extra player on the ice when they scored after Semin was penalised for tripping.
Sheldon Souray’s bomb was parried clear by a diving Neuvirth, but it trickled directly into the path of Jamie Benn, who scored into a half-open goal for a 4-2 lead as Neuvirth tried valiantly to get back on his feet.
Thirty-two seconds later the game was over as a contest when Eric Nystrom scored on the counter-attack for the Stars, his third in as many games.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan told media post game that his side is still trying to evaluate where it sits in the bigger picture.
''It’s a good measuring stick for us,’’ he said. ''Coming into Washington and heading to Pittsburgh and Detroit, we feel as though this is going to be a really good measuring stick. Tonight, we liked our game and it just gives us confidence moving forward.’’
NHL
November 8
Dallas Stars 5 Washington Capitals 2
November 8, 2011
THE Dallas Stars remain a bogey team for the Washington Capitals and a front-runner of the National Hockey League’s western conference after four straight wins.
The Stars improved to an 11-3 record on the season with a comprehensive 5-2 victory on the road at the Verizon Center in the US capital.
The travelling Stars drew first blood after 10 minutes when Michael Ryder slapped a long range shot into the skates of Caps right wing Troy Brouwer, which wrong footed goalie Michel Neuvirth and slid into the net.
This was in keeping with the flow of play as the visitors had dominated the majority of the first period.
When the Caps impressed their attack on the Stars defence line, they were repeatedly turned back by in-form shot stopper Kari Lehtonen, who improved to 11-1 on the night.
No surprise that it was Alexander Semin who finally broke through Lehtonen’s defences to have the Caps on level terms with five minutes to go in the first period.
Semin was most dominant Cap on the ice in the opening 20 minutes and left unattended in front of the net and found by a superb backhanded pass from Nicklas Backstrom.
Moments later, Neuvirth, who had made a number of outstanding saves in the first stanza, denied Ryder with an out-stretched stick.
But the Stars kept huffing and puffing and eventually blew the house down as Ryder sent in his second goal to make it 2-1 with 2.44 remaining in the period.
Nearly 16 minutes elapsed before the only goal of the second period was scored, an equaliser to the Caps straight from the face-off.
John Carlson received the puck from Cody Eakin after Marcus Johansson won the draw and slapped a bullet from distance to make it 2-2, a just reward for a mini period of attacking play by the Caps.
A frantic finish to the period, mainly brought about by a two-minute penalty to defender Dennis Wideman for delay of game, yielded no net finders.
But the power play would prove fruitful 24 seconds into the third period for the Stars when Adam Burish grafted a move and shot around Neuvirth shortly after a face off for a 3-2 lead.
The Stars once again underlined how lethal they can be with an extra player on the ice when they scored after Semin was penalised for tripping.
Sheldon Souray’s bomb was parried clear by a diving Neuvirth, but it trickled directly into the path of Jamie Benn, who scored into a half-open goal for a 4-2 lead as Neuvirth tried valiantly to get back on his feet.
Thirty-two seconds later the game was over as a contest when Eric Nystrom scored on the counter-attack for the Stars, his third in as many games.
Stars coach Glen Gulutzan told media post game that his side is still trying to evaluate where it sits in the bigger picture.
''It’s a good measuring stick for us,’’ he said. ''Coming into Washington and heading to Pittsburgh and Detroit, we feel as though this is going to be a really good measuring stick. Tonight, we liked our game and it just gives us confidence moving forward.’’
NHL
November 8
Dallas Stars 5 Washington Capitals 2
Little impact: The Los Angeles Kings overcome Nashville Predators 4-3 at the Staples Center without Anze Kopitar registering a point. Picture: Bridget Samuels.
NHL: Buffalo Sabres leave it late to down Winnipeg Jets
Thomas Vanek
Lance Jenkinson
November 8, 2011
TWO late penalties has cost the Winnipeg Jets dearly in a 6-5 overtime loss to Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League at First Niagara Center in Buffalo today.
The Jets had taken the lead just 48 seconds into the third period and stood firm until an inexplicable roughing penalty on Mark
Stuart, long after the official had stopped time on a play.
This two-minute sin bin followed penalties to Johnny Oduya and Zach Bogosian, leaving the Jets down to three on the ice for a short period.
The Sabres wasted no time striking in the power play with a goal to forward Derek Roy, his second goal in such a situation for the night.
The buzzer for the end of the third period sounded with both sides locked on 5-5 in a gripping contest, but the Jets would be let down by a hooking penalty to Blake Wheeler, their 14th
penalty of the game.
You know what came next, an eruption of noise as the Sabres got their winner from a Jason Pominville shot deflected into the goal by Thomas Vanek. Vanek was awarded the
goal.
It capped a big night for the Sabres franchise.
The sell out crowd witnessed the inductions of Dale Hawerchuk, a player with both the Sabres and the Jets in a long pro hockey career, and long time Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret into the team's Hall of Fame.
NHL
November 9, 2011
Winnipeg Jets 5 Buffalo Sabres 6 in OT
November 8, 2011
TWO late penalties has cost the Winnipeg Jets dearly in a 6-5 overtime loss to Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League at First Niagara Center in Buffalo today.
The Jets had taken the lead just 48 seconds into the third period and stood firm until an inexplicable roughing penalty on Mark
Stuart, long after the official had stopped time on a play.
This two-minute sin bin followed penalties to Johnny Oduya and Zach Bogosian, leaving the Jets down to three on the ice for a short period.
The Sabres wasted no time striking in the power play with a goal to forward Derek Roy, his second goal in such a situation for the night.
The buzzer for the end of the third period sounded with both sides locked on 5-5 in a gripping contest, but the Jets would be let down by a hooking penalty to Blake Wheeler, their 14th
penalty of the game.
You know what came next, an eruption of noise as the Sabres got their winner from a Jason Pominville shot deflected into the goal by Thomas Vanek. Vanek was awarded the
goal.
It capped a big night for the Sabres franchise.
The sell out crowd witnessed the inductions of Dale Hawerchuk, a player with both the Sabres and the Jets in a long pro hockey career, and long time Sabres broadcaster Rick Jeanneret into the team's Hall of Fame.
NHL
November 9, 2011
Winnipeg Jets 5 Buffalo Sabres 6 in OT
