Sabres fall in Game 2 trap

By John McMullen

Philadelphia (The Phanatic Magazine) - Two hours before the faceoff of Game 2 between the Flyers and Sabres while sitting in a virtually empty Wells Fargo Center, I got the feeling that it was going to be a classic trap game for Buffalo.

There had to be a sense of urgency for the Flyers in Game 2 and the Sabres expected it.

"You know they're going to step up their game: we know that we have to step up our game," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said before the game. "It's a tough situation. It's a situation that we'd really like to go after. We got one here already, but at the same time we know that their desperation level will be at a premium ... you can't take a shift for granted."


Philadelphia didn't disappoint early, blitzing Ryan Miller in what turned out to be a 5-4 win. But, the Flyers proved to be undisciplined, enabling the Sabres to counterpunch. By the end of the first 20 minutes of hockey, the teams were tied 3-3 and Sergei Bobrovsky was already shown the door by Peter Laviolette.

"We were fired up to start the game, there's no doubt about it," Flyers forward Danny Briere said. "We just have to be careful. It's a fine line, crossing over to being too emotional, taking too many penalties."

In stark contrast to the offensively-challenged opener, the first period saw the most combined goals in a Flyers postseason game since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals back in 1997 against the New York Rangers.

Laviolette's move to Brian Boucher proved to be an astute one. The veteran provided a calming influence on an out of control game.

When Ville Leino beat Miller shortside at 13;36 in the second, Philadelphia was on its way to evening the series. Ex-Sabre Danny Briere gave the Flyers their first two-goal cushion less than two minutes later and the Orange and Black managed to hang on for the 5-4 victory despite some shaky moments in the third period.

Miller, who seemed like an impenetrable fortress in Game 1, was a sieve less than 48 hours later.

There was no panic in the Flyers after the 1-0 Game 1 loss and I didn't know what to make of that.

Having an even-keeled approach can cut in both directions. A team that's too nonchalant could easily have found itself in a 2-0 hole headed to western New York against perhaps the best goaltender in hockey.

On the other hand, a club that believes in itself and its game plan should see a 1-0 setback against a great netminder as nothing more than a blip on the radar.

Some say the Flyers simply took the wrong approach on Thursday. Philadelphia directed 74 shots toward the Buffalo net in that one, 35 on net, 16 that were blocked and another 23 that missed the mark. That was compared to just 36 to Buffalo.

Acting busy and firing shots at Miller just for the sake of taking them is counter-productive. He's not giving up any soft ones and things can go in the other direction awfully fast when your not being careful, just ask Bobrovsky.

Back on March 5, the Flyers used the same approach and took 83 swipes at Miller (36 on net, 29 blocked and another 18 missed. Yeah, they had a little more success offensively, beating him three times but they opened up the ice too much and Buffalo lit the lamp on five occasions.

Either way, the best way to attack Miller is to make the extra move or pass and get him moving from side to side. If the volume is heavy while doing that, more power to you.


The Flyers did exactly that in Game 2. However, just like in the opener, I'm not sure you can take all that much away from this one. Despite Ruff's words, the underdog Sabres were already clearly satiated by the win on Thursday and felt they had already accomplished what they had set out to do, take home ice away from the Flyers.

Instead of moving their feet on defense, Buffalo was content to clutch and grab in the hopes Miller would save them. It was a lazy effort in the classic trap game we have all seen time and time again when a lower seed wins the opening game of a postseason set.

The real series starts Monday in Buffalo.