Sabres fall to Flyers on Hockey Day in America

The Sabres took on the Penguins Sunday at noon and it was the most hard working tough fought full 60 minute game I have seen from the Sabres in a while, but the outcome was again the same as it has been for most of this early season....a loss. The Sabres early on looked dreadful giving up 2 goals in the first 2 minutes. The Penguins just got off rolling and the Sabres were not ready to go. They did fight back though later in the first Christian Ehroff fired a rocket shot towards the net and off a juicy rebound Cody Hodgson put it in. The second period was probably the best for the Sabres all year with a ton of chances and Ryan Miller playing lights out like he did all game totaling 31 saves. Another great play by Christian Ehroff off another rocket wrist shot went to the net looking to go wide but Vanek was in the right place in front of the net re directing the puck into the net to tie up the game. The goal put Vanek at 12 which is the most in the league as well as points. Ehroff looked great the whole game finishing with 2 key assists. The third period was just as exciting as the second and in the tied game, the Sabres struck first. Nathan Gerbe made an amazing play skating fast towards the net but then stopping throwing the puck on net which was tipped by Hecht directing the puck to Steve Ott who snapped the shot into the net to put the Sabres up 3-2 with about 14 minutes to go. As the year has gone when the Sabres score it seems not to last very long as the same in this case. 2 minutes later the Sabres couldn't seem to get the puck out of their zone which bit them when Pascal Dupuis took a slap shot which Miller had no chance of seeing or stopping tying the game at 3. The game continued to have their chances including Marcus Foligno storming to the net as well as Ennis who took a close shot that deflected off Fleury's pad then shot again by Foligno who got attacked in front of the net after the play. Who would strike first in this high offensive game well with about 3 minutes left the same problems as before kept hurting the Sabres which was penalty killing when we were not short handed. Paul Martin from the point caught the puck taking a wild shot past Miller who was being screened by about  3 skaters going top shelf to put the Penguins up 4-3 with 3 minutes left and they kept the lead to win the game. The Sabres are now 6-9-1 standing at 13 points 11th in the east, these struggles are not seeming to be fixed but the Sabres are playing with more effort and toughness which eventually will lead to Ws. The Sabres next take on the Winnipeg Jets in Winnipeg Tuesday night. The high flying offense of the Jets will need to be slowed down by the Sabres defense and take less time in your own zone and more in the offensive zone in order for the Sabres to win this game.