2011 National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs assessment: Buffalo Sabres
The 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Playoffs were a tough time for all teams as each franchise had their own aspirations and hopes going into what turned out to be one of the most unexpected and surprising Stanley Cup series in history.
Many teams were glad that after a rough beginning to the last regular season, they managed to make the postseason, something which was an achievement of its own. Buffalo Sabres was one of those teams that could not be thankful enough for what happened near
the end of the season and into the playoffs.
Had Pennsylvanian billionaire, Terry Pegula, not taken over the team and changed it destiny forever, Buffalo would have continued its losing streak and eventually ended up in the Eastern Conferences lower ranks and out of the playoffs.
Pegula provided the team not only with motivation but a sense of direction, which in the end was a dedicational factor for them and allowed the team as a whole to struggle and give it all they got.
Surprisingly, Buffalo ended the regular season on a high note by winning four straight matchups and ranked seventh overall in the East, tied to Montreal Canadiens with 96 points and above New York Rangers.
Consider it bad luck but Buffalo Sabres were in their first playoff confrontation after a long time with a team like Philadelphia Flyers, a club that had been thirsty for a Stanley Cup ever since they lost to Chicago Blackhawks during the 2010 Stanley Cup
Finals in a close seven-game series.
Entering the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, Buffalo showed authority and shutdown Philadelphia on their own ice rink. 1-0. Patrick Kaleta made the only goal of the match in the final moments with less than 14 minutes remaining to play.
Buffalo almost took a 2-0 lead in the series but lost to Flyers, 5-2, in game-two, but still had hope as the series would be returning back home.
Philadelphia countered back and overpowered Buffalo, 4-2, on Sabres ice to take a lead but they did not remain silent and levelled the series, 2-2, after another shutout victory in game-four.
Game-five was back in Flyers hometown and it was a crucial matchup indeed which would put the other team on the verge of elimination. Buffalo stunned Philadelphia by winning 4-3 in overtime as Tyler Ennis made the winning goal.
Unluckily for Buffalo, Philadelphia came back to win the next two matchups, eliminating Sabres in an extremely close seven-game series.
Although Buffalo lost in round-one, there was no doubt that their performance was out of thi world as compared to what they started off the regular season with.
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