Tonight on 05-06 reunion night, remembering a similar Sabres team that made a magical season with low expectations, this year’s team played a great game tonight for a 5-3 win at home against the Habs, led by a 5 point, hat trick night for Tage Thompson!
The night started off with a great throwback intro for 05-06 reunion night. That team holds a very special place in my heart as that was the team, along with the 06-07 team, that made me truly love the Buffalo Sabres and hockey as much as I do now, 20 years later writing blogs on every game these boys play and analyzing every game across the league every night. I know people are going to knock that this organization is honoring a team that lost in the Eastern Conference Finals, but that team was truly special. I cried that night, as we blew a 2-1 lead going into the third period in Game 7 to get eliminated, with all of our top four defenseman out injured. I still remember when it was announced that Jay McKee got a staph infection and would be out. The memories though of that team, despite losing that game and ending our year that should’ve been our Cup, with the Canes going on to beat the Oilers, will always be some of my best memories of the Buffalo Sabres. Brian Campbell’s huge hit on RJ Umberger, Max Afinogenov flying down the ice, Tim Connelly scoring highlight real goals, Ales Kotalik being automatic in the shootout (back when shootouts were still fun), Thomas Vanek just coming up to the NHL, Chris Drury and Danny Briere leading the way, Ryan Miller backstopping this team with unbelievable save after unbelievable save that got his #30 lifted to the rafters a few years ago (another very special night), all with the echos of Rick Jeanneret’s legendary calls ringing through the city…and the best moment, Jason Pominville going around Danny Alfredsson for his SCARY GOOD overtime goal to win the series against Ottawa to go to the Conference Finals. All after we were projected to be in last place in the NHL that season. That was our year. They opened the night with the throwback intro of Sabretooth propelling down from the rafters to Hurricane 2000, the 05-06 team skating on the ice with individual intros, Ryan Miller talking to the fans at center ice, and a video from Danny Briere (the current GM of the Flyers) on the memories of that season. Fantastic job by the Sabres organization to throw it back.
As the game started, the Habs got the first goal of the game, 3:11 in, with Cole Caufeld scoring in transition on his own rebound from a long pass from Noah Dobson. Tage Thompson tied it right up though on the power play just 53 seconds later, on a nice short side deflected shot. The Sabres tied it up with 9:30 left in the first, on another power play goal, stepping in from the corner and putting it top shelf, short side into the back of the net, giving Buffalo the lead. Over the past two nights, this power play’s clicking. The Habs tied it up on a 5 on 3 power play with a rocket of a shot on a one timer from Ivan Demidov with 5:40 to go in the second (easy first period cash on my player prop parlay there with Suzuki getting the assist on it). Really fun first period with a ton of action!
Montreal took the lead, with Nick Suzuki cashing in a rebound with Ellis laying on the ice to put the Habs up 3-2 on the power play, 3:05 into the second period. Alex Tuch tied up the game again with 11:05 left in the second, with Tage Thompson setting him up on a really nice zone entry, then sliding it over to the left to Tuch, who ripped it home.
The Sabres got the lead back 5:12 into the third with Josh Doan setting up Tage Thompson for a quick far side shot that was nice and smooth in the slot to put the Sabres up 4-3 on his second goal and fourth point of the night. Tage capped off his hat trick on an empty netter with 1:40 left in the game, the ninth of his career, on his fifth point of the game.
FINAL: Sabres 5, Canadiens 3
What a game, what a night. Tage Thompson was fucking incredible tonight. This game was a blast to watch, in a really tight, close game. Tage willed this team with a fantastic night tonight, scoring a hat trick with another two assist to go with it to get us a 5-3 win, that’s so important in the standings.
This team reminds me a lot of that 05-06 team that came out of no where to make something special. Let’s keep rolling and keep this playoff spot and end this 14 year drought.
Saturday the Wild, who are another very good team, but struggling a ton lately, come into town for a matinee. I’ll be in the building for that one, so hopefully I get to see a nice win in person!
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A Town's Zone 