Flash forward 5 months and the Sabres are still decimated with injuries. Without their top player, Ryan Miller in goal, their top defenseman, Henrick Tallinder, the top playmaker, Maxim Afinogenov, along with the absence of concussed Tim Connolly and another defenseman Toni Lydman, the Sabres had every excuse to be broken again in Carolina. Add to that the fact that this was their 3^rd game in 4 days and it was a recipe for disaster.

However, this time the Sabres know they can overcome almost all odds. They can blow 2 or 3 goal leads and still come back and win. This time, they didn’t have to go to overtime to beat these pesky Hurricanes, as they stormed back themselves after the Canes tied it up in the third. An empty net goal gave the Sabres a 7-4 win and the best record in hockey.

This Sabres team is very scary indeed. Last year, they played through injuries and seemed to still keep their pace, but it finally caught up to them. Now, without Miller, Afinogenov, Connolly, Tallinder and Lydman, the Sabres seem to be playing even better. Imagine just how powerful the Sabres will be when they get even some of these players back.

The Sabres have now clinched the 4 game series with the team they lost to in the Eastern Conference Finals last spring. By winning the three straight against the Canes, the Sabres got a little revenge for losing in 7 last June. However, they won’t really be content until they have the opportunity to eliminate them in the post season.

Buffalo came flying out of the gates, scoring 3 tallies in the first period. Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville and Jochen Hecht put the Sabres up 3-0 by the time the horn ended the first period. But, like the past 3 games, the Sabres took a big lead only to let it slip away. The first goal on Marty Biron was very controversial as Justin Williams bowed into the Sabres goalie, got him with an elbow, and put the puck in during the process. The play was reviewed, but since the league officials in Toronto who review goals only can determine if it went over the goal line and not rule on penalties, it was determined a goal.

The two teams seemed to switch uniforms from the first and second periods as the Canes stormed al over the Sabres in the second stanza. At the 15:20 mark, Ray Whitney got the second puck to elude Biron and the Hurricanes were in business.

More of the same continued in the third period as Rod Brind'Amour picked up his own rebound in close and put it five hole past Biron. The Sabres had enough. They weren’t going to let this one drag out to the 4^th straight overtime session. Adam Mair got in close to Cam Ward and slipped it past the Canes goalie. The Sabres were back in charge of the momentum and never looked back. Derek Roy and Paul Gaustad tallied, only to have a goal by Scott Walker get them back to within 2 goals again. Ward came out for the extra attacker late in the period, but the Sabres stormed down the ice after Chris Drury intercepted a pass. He unselfishly passed it off to Hecht, who got his second of the night to finish off the Canes once and for all.

"The walls caved in," describe Hurricanes defenseman Mike Commodore about the collapse in the third period.

Daniel Brier described the game as being like 3 different games.

"It was almost like three segments," Briere analyzed . "We came out strong, boom were up, 3-0, they come back in the game, and we took over again. It doesn't get old. It's a lot of fun. You keep winning and everybody's happy."

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff seems to have a description to explain how the Sabres have been playing lately.

"We talk a lot about just playing our game," described Ruff. "It's a fearless game. It's a high-risk game, but with the personnel we have it's a high-reward game at the same time. You've seen it with the depth of scoring and the amount of scoring that's spread out throughout the team."

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