Clarke MacArthur leads the AHL in scoring and tonight he scored the overtime winner in his first game since being recalled to the Buffalo Sabres. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff put two youngsters, Drew Stafford and Clarke MacArthur on the ice in overtime and it paid off when MacArthur fired a shot by Bruins goalie Tim Thomas.
The Sabres seemed to come out flying but trailed 1-0 after one period due to a goal by Marc Savard that stemmed from a defensive breakdown by the Sabres. Miller tried to knock the puck down with his stick but it went just inside the far post. The Sabres answered back in the second on a power play goal by Ales Kotalik to tie the game 1-1. The power play was a bit of a concern with Tim Connolly joining Jaro Spacek on the injured list but it seemed to work out alright for at least one night.
The Bruins took control of the game in the third period but Ryan Miller was up to the task. Miller has been criticized for his recent play but he too was good at least for one night. The game remained tied at one until Toni Lydman and Drew Stafford each made a good play to get the puck to MacArthur in the slot for the winner. The game is a building block for a team that is struggling with scoring goals and winning hockey games.
The Sabres will next be in action on Friday when they welcome their cross-border rival the Toronto Maple Leafs into HSBC Arena. Buffalo usually fares well against Toronto in HSBC Arena but nothing has been easy for this team. Faceoff is scheduled for just after 7:30 PM.