Sabres 5 Rangers 4: Rangers go home

Period 1

Unreal. The Rangers score the first goal of the game at 17:10 after being outshot 11-4 up to that point. Nylander deked Miller out of his jock. MSG came alive for the first time since the pregame.
That put the momentum in New York’s favor, especially considering that Henrik Lundqvist was stopping everything that Buffalo threw at him.

Period 2

Now a shootout occurs. The Sabres score just over a minute in (Kalinin) and then again just over a minute later (Pominville). The Rangers don’t fall apart after that. Almost 2 minutes later Paul Mara scores from the point on the power play. 2-2. But the Sabres come alive again and score 2 goals in a span of 3 ½ minutes (Hecht and Drury)

If you are not watching this game you are missing a beauty. Leave your yard work for tomorrow dammit!
Call me nuts, but this is how the Sabres should have been playing all along. Their speed is making the Rangers look slow, and their ‘trap’ absolutely useless. I’ve been wondering if the Sabres have had trouble getting into the next gear in this post season because they are Cup favorites. Tonight I’m seeing desperation from them. The Rangers have to open it up now, and I’m sure the Sabres are loving that, as their transition game is deadly..
With 2:51 left in the 3rd, the score is still 4-2 Sabres. We will now see their ability to shut these Rangers down.
I didn’t think Miller looked sharp in the first half of the game, but he sure as hell does now!
The Rangers aren’t quitting at all. It is going to be an insane 3rd.

Period 3

If the Sabres score another one, they could open up something like a 7-2 can of whoopass here.
The Sabres are 5-0 in the playoffs when going into the 3rd period up 2 goals. They are 40-0 when up by 2 over the regular season. Sheeit.

Uh oh. Jagr has scored to make it 4-3. The Rangers are flying now. The Sabres are on their heels. Oh no!
Cullen gets stoned by Miller on a breakaway.
Kotalik takes a tripping penalty at 12:00, and then Jagr goes from hero to goat by taking a tripping penalty as well, eliminating the Rangers’ PP. Lucky Sabres.

Hecht makes a dandy deflection on a point shot and it’s 5-3. Frantic action.

Rangers go on the PP with about 3 minutes left and Nylander scores again! 5-4. What a wrister over Miller’s left arm. These bastards just don’t quit.

The Sabres shut them down in the final minute and this series is over!

I can't wait to see the Sens/Sabres duke it out. It is going to be a terrific and potentially violent series. Bring it on.