2010 Compuware NHL Premiere Series – New Jersey Devils win 1-0 against the Buffalo Sabres
The 36th match of the 2010 Compuware NHL Premiere Series took place this past Wednesday, 13th October 2010. There was an attendance of around 19,000 who came at the HSBC Arena to cheer their home team, Buffalo Sabres. The saw the Buffalo
Sabres take on the New Jersey Devils. Buffalo Sabres as well as the New Jersey Devils were playing in their 4th game of the NHL season. The match turned out to be a very tight encounter in which the New Jersey Devils eventually emerged as victorious
scoring a goal in overtime.
1st Period
The New Jersey Devils started the period on a high when they came up with good early goal attempts. Not only did the New Jersey Devils get past the Buffalo Sabres defence but they also frequent and strong shots at the home team’s goal. The only thing that
stood between the New Jersey Devils and a goal was the Buffalo Sabres goal keeper, Ryan Miller.
Ryan Miller made some splendid saves not only in the 1st period but put up an excellent display of goal keeping in the last 2 period as well. The Buffalo Sabres couldn’t manage a lot in the period as the away team totally dominated the proceedings.
Every now and then as soon as they got the possession, a quick attack was seen with a strong shot ending the move. However, Ryan Miller was found in the way of the shot each and every time during the period.
Such was the dominance of the New Jersey Devils that they outplayed the Buffalo Sabres not only in the department of offence but with the defence they maintained during the period, they restricted the Buffalo Sabres to almost nothing. With no plays and no
fluency, while on the attacks the Buffalo Sabres couldn’t keep possession for long.
As the period ended, the score was deadlocked at 0-0 with the Buffalo Sabres coming up with just 1 goal attempt. One the other hand the dominating New Jersey Devils made 15 goal attempts.
2nd Period
When the New Jersey Devils came up with the first goal attempt of the period, it looked as if this was going to be another period where the away team would dictate the proceedings. However, this was not the case as the Buffalo Sabres made several goal attempts
after this.
The Buffalo Sabres looked a completely different team from what they were in the 1st period. They regularly bombarded the opposing goal with strong shots. The case was same for the Buffalo Sabres that the New Jersey Devils goal keeper, Martin
Brodeur was in the way during the entire period.
Both the team made goal attempts during the period but neither was able to score. The New Jersey Devils made 11 goal attempts and the Buffalo Sabres ended the period with 15 goal attempts.
3rd Period
The final period of the match was no different from the last 2 periods. During the final period, it was more of a technical battle where the attacking team had to work their way past the opposing defence. Both teams were successful in doing so but again
the goal keepers out played them.
The period didn’t see any goals from either of the teams as the match went into overtime. The score was 0-0 at the time with both teams hoping to win the tough battle. The match ended when the New Jersey Devils won the match as a result of Ilya Kovalchuk’s
goal. The goal was scored in overtime through a slap off from 29 feet.
The Buffalo Sabres goal keeper Ryan Miller was the 1st star selection of the match and Martin Brodeur was the 2nd star selection of the match.
"It's not fun atmosphere-wise when you don't have a win under your belt," Brodeur said.
"It was a little chaotic."
"We've had a lot of changes, we've had injuries, and we've played with 15 players, and now 16 players," Brodeur said.
"It's been chaotic a little bit. So for us to finally get one under our belt, now we can start playing our season."
"We're four games in, and there isn't anything to freak out about," defenseman of the Buffalo Sabres Tyler Myers said.
"We had a lot of chances, we just didn't put them in."
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