This afternoon there was a battle in Buffalo, as the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabers took to the ice. Both teams looking for a bug win, especially the Pens. The Penguins could take the lead in the east, over the New Jersey Devils, with a win over Buffalo.
These two teams were looking to take advantage of the shortened season with a big time win, and the Pens did just that. The Pens were able to score within the first 90 seconds of the game, putting the momentum on their side. Quickly after that the Sabers would commit a costly penalty, and give the Penguins a man advantage. Crosby took full advantage of the power play scoring on a bad bounce off the back boards. This gave the Pens a quick 2-0 lead within the first two minutes of the game.
The Sabers would answer back though, getting a goal of their own late in the first after the Penguins committed their own penalty. This would be your score at the end of the first, 2-1 in favor of the Penguins.
Buffalo would come out with all the momentum on their side, and the Penguins would come out flat, as they have in the second period this season. Buffalo would get a quick goal in the second, just as the Pens did in the first. This would tie up the game, and keep the momentum on the side of the Sabers, but that would be it for the scoring for both teams. The score would be 2-2 at the end of the second period.
This is where the game would get more physical for both teams. At the start of the third both teams were amped up and ready to play. After a fight broke out both teams pick up the intensity and started hitting. Buffalo would get a goal mid way through the third period, and it looked as if it was going to be it for the Pens. They were able to tie the game back up at 3-3 and things were looking like this game was going to overtime.
Defenseman Paul Martin scored with 2:04 left to go in the game, to lift the Penguins to a 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabers. The score from Martin was just his second of the season. His only other goal came On opening day.
A few notes about this game: the Penguins elected to go with 6-foot-4 inch, 215 pound defenseman Robert Bortuzzo to add some size to his roster. He replaced D Simon Despres, and Bortuzzo would be playing in his eight game of the season, after sitting two.
For the Sabres, rookie C Mikhail Grigorenko was a healthy scratch for just the second time this season, and the second time in 4 games. Not to sure why they made the decision to scratch Grigorenko, but they made the decision and he sat.
This game was physical from the drop of the puck, and the fans got a good show. This was a big time win for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who take the lead of the division in the Eastern Conference over the New Jersey Devils.
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