Friday 15 February 2013

Boston @ Buffalo

On Sunday night, Boston played Buffalo in the First Niagara Center, after the unfortunate postponed game from Saturday against Tampa Bay. BOS had a extra rest after they played in the Bell Center on Wednesday night. This is the first of two meetings when the two teams face each other, on Friday night, in First Niagara Center.  

1st Period 
In the first six minutes of the game they were loads of changes for both teams. But BOS's were 7 shots to BUFF's 3 to the good.But BUFF did have a few chances to take the lead especially when Marcus Foligno skirted the puck past an open net. There was a scuffle in front of BOS's Anton Khudobin, and BUFF's Patrick Kaleta was making his presence felt as he had big hits on BOS's Adam McQuaid and Daniel Paille. 

BOS's Gregory Campbell and BUFF's Kaleta squared off just inside the blueline, near to the penalty box.  

BUFF's Kaleta and BOS's Campbell, fight during the 1st

BUFF's Kaleta finally went with a BOS player and Campbell gave a great effort. BUFF's Kaleta went to the box for a 5 min fighting major however that was not the same for BOS's Campbell as he was charged three penalties, fighting 5 minutes, game misconduct 10 mins and a instigator, but with BOS's Campbell with already having the 15 major, BOS's Shawn Thornton will serve the 2 mins penalty in the box.

With 2.5 minutes remaining  in the period BUFF's Cody Hodgson, went to the box for a slashing call, as he slashed BOS's Chris Kelly on a breakaway. BOS head for their first Power Play (PP) of the game.

The horn sounded to bring the 1st to a close. BOS were 16 shots to BUFF's 13 on goal.

2nd Period 
BOS started the 2nd on a PP for the first 2 mins, but BUFF managed to kill that penalty, however BUFF went right back on the Penalty Kill (PK), as BUFF's Steve Ott went to the box for a unsportsmanlike conduct call, BOS on their 2nd PP of the period. For 41 secs BOS had a 5-on-3 advantage as BUFF's Alexander Sulzer went to the box for a cross-checking call. BOS were leading shots on goal (22-14,SOG). 

With 8 minutes gone in the 2nd BOS took the lead, BOS's Andy Ference with a great play, to fake a slap shot, then to pass the puck to BOS's Brad Marchand at the left of the faceoff circle. BOS's Marchand then beat BUFF's Ryan Miller's glove side. 

BOS's Marchand with the first goal of the game

In the 11th minute of the 2nd, BOS's Marchand went to the box for a faceoff violation. This is a new rule, as BOS's Marchand pushed the puck with his hand at the faceoff circle. With less than 5 minutes to go BOS went on their PP of the game as BUFF's Mike Weber went to the box for a tripping call as BUFF's Weber tripped up BOS's Chris Bourque. BUFF tied the game with less than 2 minutes to go. BUFF's Drew Stafford's forecheck worked along the boards and then got the puck to a wide open BUFF's Tyler Ennis. 

The horn sounded to bring the 2nd to a end. 

3rd Period 
Through the first couple of minutes of the 3rd, there was some back to forth action. With 8 minutes gone in the 3rd BUFF's Weber went to the box for a delay of the game call. BOS were on their 5th PP of the game. BOS's Patrice Bergeron won a faceoff and the puck went to BOS's Bourque, who fired a shot that deflected from the boards and it went right back to BOS's Bergeron fired a shot and the puck ended up in the BUFF's net. BOS leads 2-1. But with that PP goal (PPG), nobody saw BOS's Bergeron got kicked off the faceoff and it was indeed BOS's Rich Peverley who won the faceoff and then he started the play.  

 BOS's Bergeron with the 3rd goal of the night and BOS's 2nd goal.

BOS's Milan Lucic added a 3rd goal, as BOS's Lucic's goal was a open netter, as just before BUFF pulled Miller out of the net. BOS ended the game on a PK as BOS's Ference went to the box for a hi-sticking.

The horn sounded to end the game.

The three stars of the game were:

1*          Khudobin
2**        Miller
3***      Bergeron

BOS now head back to Boston to play New York Rangers, at the TD Garden with a 7.30p start.

















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