Referrees' Whistle-Blowing Frenzy Evens Series

Linesman Jonny Murray separates James van Riemsdyk
and Patrick Kaleta after a scrum.
(Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Saturday's Game Two turned out to be the complete polar opposite from what we saw in the series opener.  The series has totally turned and this one could get ugly as it heads to Buffalo for games Three and Four.  In Game Two, the teams combined for a total of 22 penalties translating into 54 penalty minutes.  "I think we did get a little bit too jacked up," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "I thought our response was a little too far, but I'd like to take it too far than not enough. I would love them to do so in our building."  Hey Lindy, "a little bit too jacked up" might be understating it... just a little.  30 of those penalty minutes came in the first period along with 6 goals.  The 9 total goals were a 900% markup from Game One in the goal scoring category.  Buffalo went 2 for 8 on the power-play and Philadelphia was held to a measly 1 for 10.  The last time the Sabres were shorthanded 10 or more times in a playoff game was June 8, 1999 in Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals in Dallas.  But let's not talk about that series.  Although the game started to get a little out of hand, it wasn't as bad as this Flyers game from back in 2004 that saw 417 total penalty minutes.

It seemed like every time the Buffalo Sabres successfully killed a penalty, they had to get right back out there and do it again.  The penalty calls were just never ending.  The penalty kill units were worked extremely hard and deserve a lot of credit.  Chris Butler led the team again with 39 shifts adding up to 27:08 of ice time.  He logged 8:17 of his time on the penalty kill.  Just to put things into perspective... Nathan Gerbe, a player who doesn't kill penalties, was held to only 6:30 of total ice time in the game; a team low.  That is what happens when a team takes a lot of mindless penalties.  The offensive threats have their shifts reduced resulting in them never being able to find a rhythm offensively.  Butler logged more time on the penalty kill than Gerbe logged in total.

Is anyone else sick of the Versus and ESPN analysts or is it just me?  So far whenever they talk about the series, it is all about the Philadelphia Flyers, and if they do happen to mention Buffalo it is about Ryan Miller and his Olympic run and nothing else.  They really have nothing else to comment on?  C'mon... what about the Sabres' penalty kill playing out of their minds having already killed 14 of 15 penalties only two games into the series?  They clearly deserve some recognition.  What about Paul Gaustad blocking shots without a stick in Game One?  How about Mike Grier diving in front of the crease to block a shot and inevitably save a goal in Game Two?  Cheers to Grier on that one.  He has to have a solid bruise developing from that block. Game highlights can be viewed here.

The long awaited Game Three in Buffalo is set to begin at 7:00pm EDT tomorrow, April 18th.  For all the information you could need regarding Party in the Plaza, consult back to one of my recent posts.  The Sabres will be welcomed to the ice by a rowdy 18,690 fans inside the arena and another couple thousand screaming outside.  Shoane Morrisonn, who did not play in Game Two, is listed as day-to-day and questionable for Game Three.  Good news once again is that Chris Pronger will not play in Game Three.  That means the Sabres need to keep a presence in front of the net, Thomas Vanek style, and earn those scrappy goals before the bulldozing Pronger returns; if he does.