Buffalo Stampedes Past New Jersey in the Shootout, 4-3

Three Stars of the Game:

3rd Star: Tyler Ennis (1 SO Goal)

2nd Star: Ryan Miller (3 GA, 28 Saves)

1st Star: Jason Pominville (2 goals)

The Devils (10-6-5) were once again left with a familiar feeling after falling to the Buffalo Sabres (9-12-1) in the shootout Saturday evening. Devils fans were glad to see the Carter-Gionta-Bernier line reunited, after Carter was activated from IR. Both teams’ power plays were held scoreless, the Devils going 0-5 and the Sabres going 0-6. Each team also gave up a short-handed goal. The Devils have now dropped 7 out of their last 9 games.

The first period started off quite intense, as David Clarkson and Steve Ott dropped the gloves in a brief fight 27 seconds in. Clarky and Ott weren’t the only ones to get involved in some physical play, as Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrick Kaleta exchanged some shoves, and were both sent to the sin bin for roughing minors. As soon as their minors were up, it seemed Kovalchuk was not done with Kaleta, and gave him a few more checks and chops until he eventually received another penalty.  Both Buffalo power plays were short lived as Christian Ehrhoff took a penalty just 17 seconds into the first power play, and then an interference penalty 46 seconds into the second power play. The Devils finished the first period outshooting the Sabres 13-6, but the game remained scoreless.

In the second period, the Devils got some power play chances of their own, but it was the Sabres who opened the scoring. During the Devils second power play, Kovalchuk lost a puck to Cody Hodgson, who passed to a wide open Jason Pominville for a one-timer that beat Johan Hedberg. 2:07 later, a Mark Fayne shot from the point went in off Steve Bernier. The goal was reviewed, and the call on the ice of a good goal was confirmed.The second period ended 1-1.

At the end of the second period, Ryan Carter was called for a cross-check, giving the Sabres a power play to start the third. But just as the second period, it was the team on the penalty kill that started the scoring. Adam Henrique gave the Devils a 2-1 lead with a short-handed goal coming off a Buffalo turnover. The Devils now have five short-handed goals on the season, good enough for first place.  The lead was short-lived as 1:49 later, Jason Pominville scored his second of the game, from Hodgson, to tie it, 2-2. Jochen Hecht scored his first of the season at the 9:47 mark to give the Sabres the lead. Hecht banked a pass from Mikhail Grigorenko off Hedberg.  The Devils didn’t give up though. At the 11:22 mark, Andrei Loktionov took a backhand pass from  Stefan Matteau, and put a puck past a sprawled out Ryan Miller to tie the game, 3-3. Andrei Loktionov extended his point streak to 5 games, and scored his 3rd goal in 6 games. The rest of the period, each team exchanged a few chances but no one could finish, and the game would be headed to overtime.

The overtime didn’t start well for the Devils, as 37 seconds in, Marek Zidlicky was called for roughing, and the PK was once again called upon. The PK did its job once again, killing Buffalo’s 4 on 3 power play. With 24.5 seconds remaining, Bryce Salvador tripped Tyler Ennis as he attempted a power move towards the net. The PK was once again able to kill off the brief 4 on 3 power play, and we were headed to a shootout to see who would pick up the extra point.

The Sabres would start their shootout with Pominville who slowly approached Hedberg and then put one past him. Kovalchuk would start it off for the Devils, but would fire high over Ryan Miller and the crossbar. Tyler Ennis would also score for Buffalo, and with Adam Henrique needing to score to keep the Devils alive, Ryan Miller gloved his attempt, sealing Buffalo’s victory and the extra point. The Devils will be back in action Monday in Toronto, Martin Brodeur’s first game where he would be eligible to return. Buffalo will visit the Rock on Thursday, giving the Devils their chance at revenge.