Live Bitching: Carolina Hurricanes AT Buffalo Sabres

-First things first: I can't stand the Carolina Hurricanes. Ever since they won the Stanley Cup Honky Tonk Man style, beating the Sabres in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals along the way, I've hated them. They have a cup because the Sabres defensemen started dropping like flies, and then the same thing happened to the Edmonton Oilers in the Cup Finals. Fuck the Hurricanes.

-FIRST PERIOD:

-Not much happening in the first five minutes. Pominville took a hooking penalty at 2:50, but Buffalo killed off the penalty fairly easily. Sabres apply pressure as the penalty expires, and get a power play of their own off a tripping penalty at 5:08.

-Sabres apply pressure for the first minute of the power play as one of the Hurricanes lost his stick. Myers lets the puck go by him, and he ends up taking a tripping penalty at 6:20 to prevent a 2-on-1 and end the Sabres' power play. While it's still 4-on-4, a point shot squeaks through to make it 1-0 Sabres. Roy gets credit for the goal, but that may not stand. The Hurricanes manage to tie the game at 1 on a screened shot that Miller probably didn't see.

-Stafford somehow gets loose, and his rebound is banged home by Roy to make it 2-1 Sabres at 10:01. Sabres completely dominate the next five minutes, getting several good chances.

-Not much of note happens until Pominville takes a big hit that draws an interference penalty, since he didn't have the puck, and in fact it had moved past him. He looks shaken up, but hopefully he'll be OK. The power play is terrible, and when the puck jumps over Vanek's stick, it gives Brandon Sutter a short-handed break, and he scores to make it a 2-2 tie with 12 seconds left in the period.

-SECOND PERIOD:

-Sabres get a couple good chances, but can't cash in on the power play. Cody McCormick goes after Jared Allen for Allen's hit on Pominville, and ends up taking a penalty at 3:00. Sabres kill off the penalty, and get another power play of their own when Chad LeRose takes a high sticking penalty.

-Power play gets some more chances, but again the Sabres give up a short-handed break, and the Hurricanes score to make it 3-2 Hurricanes. Pominville is out there, so fortunately, he's OK.

-Sabres get a good chance. Paul Gaustad and Tim Gleeson get into a fight, and the crowd goes nuts. Sabres apply a lot of pressure, but there's some confusion on a change after the puck is cleared, and the Sabres get called for too many men on the ice.

-Not a whole lot happening, but Buffalo gets another power play with two minutes left. Sabres almost score (in fact, RJ was ready to yell "score!", but it dribbled just wide).

-THIRD PERIOD:

-Nothing much happened in the first five minutes of the third.

-Sabres start applying pressure, and Ennis gets tripped up to give Buffalo another power play at 7:31. Hurricanes almost score AGAIN short-handed, but the goalpost makes the save. Crowd gets restless as the power play doesn't do much.

-Ennis gets checked at the blue line, but the Hurricanes touch the puck while having too many men on the ice, drawing another penalty at 10:19. Same story, Sabres apply pressure but can't score, and Hurricanes get another chance at a short-handed goal, as Miller has to make a HUGE save to stop Staal on a breakaway.

-Sabres don't appear to be doing much when Tyler Myers rushes to the net, and Drew Stafford cashes in a rebound to tie the game at 3 at 17:41. The crowd goes nuts, but then the momentum goes back to the Hurricanes when Vanek takes a tripping penalty at 18:00. Jeff Skinner scores at 18:36 to make it 4-3 Hurricanes. Damn it. Carolina takes an icing at 18:57, allowing the Sabres to pull Miller. Erhoff can't control the puck, and has to take a tripping penalty at 19:29. Sabres get a good shot from Vanek, but time runs out.

-Damn, Buffalo's special teams were BRUTAL tonight, and it cost them the game. They've had stretches before where that's been an issue, hopefully it doesn't plague them this season.