The Buffalo Sabres staved off elimination and forced a seventh and deciding game in the NHL's Eastern Conference finals with an exciting 2-1 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
Daniel Briere scored the winner on a power play at the 4:22 mark of the extra session with Doug Weight in the penalty box for boarding.
The winning goal came with just seconds left in the man-advantage. Carolina forward Justin Williams stumbled just inside his own blue line and that set up the final Buffalo scoring opportunity. Derek Roy passed the puck to Rory Fitzpatrick at the right circle. Fitzpatrick then found Briere open at the top of the left circle. Briere shot the puck which grazed Canes goalie Cam Ward's glove and fell over his shoulder and into the net. The crowd at the HSBC Arena went wild when they realized their Sabres were still in the hunt for the Stanley Cup.
Ward was frustrated by the goal. 'It went off my glove and shoulder and kind of popped in the air,' Ward said. 'I had no idea where it went after it hit me. Unfortunately, it was too late when I looked back.'
The goal was Briere's second overtime winner this season. 'I knew if the shot could just get to Ward and maybe we could jump on the rebound,' Briere said. 'I saw the light go on, I saw the fans kind of jumping up, I couldn't see much from the blue line. It's a heck of a feeling.'
Perhaps the biggest hero of the game was Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. Miller made 25 saves, many of them spectacular, to earn the victory for Buffalo. The biggest may have been a save he made on Rod Brind'Amour with just 1:40 left in the third period. He allowed only Bret Hedican's goal with 3:53 left in the third period that forced the extra session.
Game seven will be in Carolina on Thursday night. Canes veteran defenseman Glen Wesley knows his team does not have time to dwell on its loss in game six. 'We can't sulk and hang our heads,' Wesley said. 'We did a lot of positive things. ... We took a penalty and almost had the kill. Unfortunately, we didn't get the win.'
Sabres co-captain Chris Drury hoped the momentum will carry into the seventh and deciding game. 'It's been our M.O. all year, just a fearless bunch of guys,' Drury said. 'We always seem to find a way. It's certainly no different tonight.'
The winner of Thursday's game will face the Edmonton Oilers for the Stanley Cup. The finals begin next Monday with the winner of the East having home-ice advantage.
