Flames vs. Sabres Recap: Buffalo Gets The Home Monkey Off Back For Now

by Zachary Zielonka on Nov 4, 2011 11:39 PM EDT in Game Recaps

BUFFALO, NY - NOVEMBER 04: Henrik Karlsson #35 of the Calgary Flames takes a break during a timeout against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center on November 4, 2011 in Buffalo, New York.Buffalo won 2-1. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

The Buffalo Sabres finished off their five game homestand with a moderate bang against the Calgary Flames on Friday night. Drew Stafford and Nathan Gerbe each scored and Jhonas Enroth made 29 saves in the Sabres 2-1 victory. This now puts the Sabres at 7-5 on the season and 2-4 at the First Niagara Center.

This is probably the best game the Sabres have played at home with Buffalo actually playing for a full sixty minutes and the team had 44 shots on net and outshot the Flames by 14 shots in the game and 18-8 in the first period. The offense was consistently spread out across the whole roster with only Andrej Sekera not registering a shot on goal in the game. The Drew Stafford/Ville Leino/Derek Roy line produced six shots on net and looked like the best offensive line of the night. Stafford and Roy registered their first points in seven games on Stafford's goal.

For the Calgary Flames, they still haven't won a game inside the First Niagara Center, or the previous incarnation known as the HSBC Arena. Their last victory in Buffalo came on March 15, 1996. Henrik Karlsson was the best player for the Flames as he made forty saves in the loss. This game could have gotten out of hand very quickly if it wasn't for the saves that Karlsson made in the first period. Even with the good game from Karlsson, it was still a loss for the Flames and Henrik's comments after the game reflected that. "We just have to take those points and it's frustrating right now but I think that I can take something good from this game and keep working hard but right now it's real disappointing."

His coach Brent Sutter was pleased with Karlsson's performance and the development of the young goaltender. "It's certainly encouraging the way that he is playing and we have no problem at putting him in net and playing for us and doing a good job for us and he has proven again tonight he can do it."

The Buffalo Sabres are going to turn around again and travel to Ottawa to face the Senators who lost to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday.

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Comments

Who was centering the Leino/Roy/Stafford line?

Save Jenrry Mejia!

by Ogre39666 on Nov 5, 2011 2:09 AM EDT reply actions

roy

"Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup" - Terry Pegula

by willgarr15 on Nov 5, 2011 9:49 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

What color was George Washington's white horse?

(Sorry, couldn’t resist)

by lassathrax on Nov 5, 2011 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Hey, you never know.

Save Jenrry Mejia!

by Ogre39666 on Nov 5, 2011 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I know, I just really like that comeback :)

by lassathrax on Nov 5, 2011 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Indeed, there was no doubt by anyone who watched the game that Karlsson was the best player on the ice last night. He reminded me a lot of another young goaltender who got his first start against the Sabres and put in a hell of a performance: Johnathan Quick.

"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England

by Calvert on Nov 5, 2011 8:52 AM EDT reply actions