Sabres Edge

OK, I've run out of big intros. No out of town scores necessary. Only need four wins -- and a ton of help. It's Ryan Miller vs. Tim Thomas in goal.

Onward.

---Mike Harrington

OT

4:21 left: The Sabres live another day. Vanek finds Andrej Sekera in the slot for a slapper that gives Buffalo a 2-1 win.

Third Period

13:42 left: The Bruins seem more than content to play it tight and protect their one point. Boston has the only two shots on goal so far and is going on a power play as Adam Mair is off for interference.

11:00 left: It took the Sabres nearly nine minutes to get a shot in this period before Nathan Paetsch got the first one. It came a few seconds after Daniel Paille rifled a shot on a good chance from the slot.

5:38 left: Bruins still holding on to their point. Shots are 6-6 in the period. The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" is blaring. Grrrrrr.

1:19 left: Auld robs Gaustad from point-blank range a few seconds after nearly fumbling Lydman's knuckleball into the net. The Sabres are showing some of the desperation to win this in regulation we should have seen for the last 18 minutes.

End of the 3rd: The Bruins survive to get a huge point. Sabres ended the third with a 10-6 edge in shots (29-18 overall). So it comes down to this: The Sabres are still alive -- barely -- with a win. If Boston wins it, Buffalo is done. If it went to a shootout and the Sabres lost, that would be an appropriate climax to this season, wouldn't it?

Second Period

13:30 left: The Sabres have a 6-0 edge in shots in this period, making it 12-5 overall. Yep, the Bruins have just five shots in 26 1/2 minutes. Pretty uninspired performance by them. Too bad Afinogenov handed them a goal or they'd have nothing going here.

12:10 left: Patrick Kaleta goes for elbowing on Milan Lucic. Ridiculous. Lindy Ruff is going nuts behind the bench with good reason.

10:49 left: The Bruins even that one out with a too many men on the ice call.

3:38 left: Andrej Sekera goes off for holding. Shots are 13-3 for Buffalo in this period (19-8 overall) and the game is still tied. Hey, things could be worse: The Sabres could have a 3-1 lead.

End of the 2nd: It's still 1-1 as the Sabres finished the period with a brutal power play. The best scoring chance was a 3-on-2 by the Bruins that was stopped by Miller. Terrible. Shots were 13-7 in the period (19-12 overall). The Sabres' misery could be over in the next 20 minutes.

First Period

17:27 left: Just 19 seconds after Milan Lucic goes off for a four-minute high-sticking penalty, Maxim Afinogenov makes what should be his last play as Sabre. His brutal pass in the offensive zone is intercepted and the Bruins break out on a 2-on-1. David Krejci goes down and his shot leaks through Miller for a short-handed goal to make it 1-0. Nice first effort by Max to try to tell Bucky Gleason his column this morning was wrong.

Lindy Ruff should just put Andrew Peters or Mike Ryan in Max's place Tuesday in Toronto. But oops, I forgot how this organization works. Max is making $3.5 million -- and has another year on his deal. Guess he has to play. Wonderful.

13:27 left: Two shots on the power play and now Ales Kotalik goes off for hooking. A woman on the HD board holds up a sign that says "Go Sabers." Beautiful. The place is just falling apart.

9:45 left: Toni Lydman hasn't stopped too many goals lately but he just scored one on a power play, tipping in Paul Gaustad's feed from the edge of the crease. Lydman actually made the play a few seconds earlier by keeping in a hard Boston clearing attempt at the left point. Lydman's fourth of the year.

3:55 left: The fans speak. Afinogenov gets the Zdeno Chara boo treatment when he touches the puck in the Boston zone -- and, of course, turns it over with another brutal pass. WHAT IS HE DOING ON THE ICE?

End of the 1st: We're tied at 1-1. Shots are 6-5 for the Sabres. Pretty bland period.