SLAM! Sports
SLAM! Hockey
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
COLUMNS
NHL
The Teams
Full Schedule
Monthly Schedule
Standings
Statistics
Rosters
Injury list
Movement
Trades
Hits Gallery
INTERACTIVE
JUNIOR
MORE HOCKEY
ALSO ON SLAM!
Hurricanes 3, SABRES 1
'Canes move into eighth in East
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Paul Coffey, who has scored his share of big goals, considered Friday night's game-winner his biggest with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The goal, scored with 7:34 remaining, not only lifted the Hurricanes to a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, but moved Carolina into a tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
"It's definitely a big goal for our hockey club," said Coffey, second all-time among NHL defenseman with 394 goals. "To be honest, I think if we lose tonight, we're pretty much done. ... It gives us some confidence now and hopefully we can keep it going."
With the win, the Hurricanes jumped ahead of the Sabres in the standings and caught the idle Montreal Canadiens in the race for the conference's final playoff berth.
Coffey, though, has yet to see the puck go in the net as he shot it through a crowd from the left face-off circle.
Using Sabres defenseman Richard Smehlik as a screen, Coffey snapped a low shot that hit the stick of goalie Dominik Hasek and then flipped up and into the net. The puck may have also tipped in off Hurricanes forward Gary Roberts, who was battling for position in front.
Sean Hill scored into an open net with 4.9 seconds remaining and Paul Ranheim had the first goal for the Hurricanes, who won back-to-back games for the first time since March 8.
Vaclav Varada scored for the Sabres, who had a four-game winning streak come to an end. After averaging more than four goals in their last seven games, the Sabres managed only 20 shots -- six in the final 20 minutes.
The Sabres didn't help their cause considering they spent plenty of time in the penalty box.
Coffey's goal came with Varada off for interference, the fourth straight penalty called against the Sabres. Overall, the Hurricanes enjoyed eight power-play opportunities to the Sabres' four.
"It's just unlucky," said Sabres defenseman Jason Woolley. "When they string three (power-play) opportunities together, it's a little unusual. But we don't want to use that as an excuse."
The Sabres don't have time to do so, considering they have five games left, starting with Saturday's contest at Montreal.
"We know that's going to be a real tough one," said Woolley. "We've got to come out and play a smart road game. We've got to go for it.
"We didn't quite have it tonight."
The Hurricanes have four games left, including a season-ending home-and-home series against the expansion Atlanta Thrashers.
"We've got to win at least three of the four. We may have to win all four, I don't know," said Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice.
The key, however, was starting with a win against the Sabres, a team that beat the Hurricanes in Carolina 5-1 last Monday night.
"If we didn't win tonight, that was it," said Maurice. "I can't tell you how much I enjoyed standing behind the bench and watching those guys work hard. It was great."
Varada, with his season-high eighth goal, opened the scoring deflecting in Rhett Warrener's point shot over goalie Arturs Irbe's shoulder 32 seconds into the second period. The Hurricanes replied at the 11:41 mark on Ranheim's goal.
Buffalo's Doug Gilmour had a seven-game point streak snapped, the first time he's failed to record at least a point since joining the Sabres in a deal with Chicago. Despite battling a stomach virus, which has caused him to lose seven pounds, Gilmour played a regular shift.
The Hurricanes played without All-Star Sami Kapanen, who missed his second game because of concussion-like symptoms.
Summary
-----------------------------
Carolina 0 1 2--3
Buffalo 0 1 0--1
-----------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: G Wesley, Car (interference),
7:22; Satan, Buf (holding), 11:27; Coffey, Car (hooking), 12:13; Pratt,
Car (roughing), 14:38.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Buffalo, Varada 8 (R Warrener, Tsyplakov),
0:32. 2, Carolina, Ranheim 9 (Battaglia, Kron), 11:41. Penalties: Gilmour,
Buf (slashing), 6:24; C Gratton, Buf (elbowing), 16:02; Gelinas, Car
(holding, misconduct), 19:40; Patrick, Buf (high sticking), 19:52.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Carolina, Coffey 9 (power play) (Francis),
12:26. 4, Carolina, Hill 13 (empty net) (unassisted), 19:55. Penalties:
Tsyplakov, Buf (high sticking), 5:58; D Ward, Buf (high sticking), 8:11;
Varada, Buf (interference), 10:58; Pratt, Car (roughing), 14:13; C
Gratton, Buf (roughing), 14:13; Buffalo bench, served by D Ward (Delay of
game), 19:55.
Shots on goal:
---------------------------------
Carolina 7 12 8--27
Buffalo 7 7 6--20
---------------------------------
Power-play Conversions: Car - 1 of 8, Buf - 0 of 4. Goalies: Carolina,
Irbe (20 shots, 19 saves; record: 31-27-9). Buffalo, Hasek (26, 24;
record: 12-10-5). A:18,690. Referees: Larue, B Mccreary. Linesmen:
Amell, Scapinello.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS
Carolina Buffalo
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
Battaglia 0 1 +1 1 Afinogenov 0 0 -1 1
Brind'amour 0 0 even 0 Brown 0 0 even 1
Coffey 1 0 -1 4 C Gratton 0 0 even 2
Francis 0 1 even 4 D Ward 0 0 even 0
G Wesley 0 0 +1 1 Gilmour 0 0 -1 1
Gelinas 0 0 even 2 Mckee 0 0 +1 0
Halko 0 0 -1 1 Patrick 0 0 -2 1
Hill 1 0 +1 3 R Warrener 0 1 +1 2
J Daniels 0 0 even 0 Rasmussen 0 0 even 0
Kovalenko 0 0 even 3 Ray 0 0 even 0
Kron 0 1 +1 0 S Barnes 0 0 -1 3
Malik 0 0 +1 1 Sanderson 0 0 -1 1
Mccarthy 0 0 even 0 Satan 0 0 even 4
Oneill 0 0 even 1 Smehlik 0 0 even 0
Pratt 0 0 +1 0 Tsyplakov 0 1 even 0
Ranheim 1 0 +1 2 Varada 1 0 even 3
Roberts 0 0 even 4 Woolley 0 0 -1 0
T Westlund 0 0 even 0 Zhitnik 0 0 -1 1
Leschyshyn Groin Roloson Healthy
Kapanen Concussion Taylor Healthy
Karpa Foot Injury Peca Suspended Nhl
 Bert's back on blades Blue Jays boot game Bombers drop Peterson Felicien rebuilds race | Visit our Polls Archive |