Petr Sykora scores twice as New Jersey Devils rout Buffalo Sabres 3-1 -NHL Update
Petr Sykora was named the man of the match by the 17,000 plus fans that were at the sold-out Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, United States, on Wednesday night, December 28, 2011, as he scored twice to lift the New Jersey Devils over the Buffalo
Sabres, 3-1.
New Jersey now sits in the sixth number spot of the Eastern Conference with 41 points, above the Toronto Maple Leafs by one point, making their upcoming games extremely crucial if they want to maintain their position in the division.
"I'm getting a chance to play with great players -- Patty and Zubie most games. Each guy brings something different", Sykora said. "Once in a while you're going to have a game like this".
Sykora kicked off the scoring midway through the opening period with his ninth of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season, putting the home team up by one entering the mid 20 minutes.
He continued with the same momentum as Patrik Elias set him up for the second consecutive time, this time in the opening two minutes of the second period followed by captain, Zach Parise, with his 12th at the 6:55 mark, to give New Jersey more
than a comfortable lead.
After New Jersey’s second of the night, tension rose in the arena as the Buffalo players got anxious to score a goal and thus, there were multiple incidents of players roughing each other up. Buffalo’s Patrick Kaleta and Paul Gaustad were served with 10
minute game misconducts while New Jersey also lost, Cam Janssen, for the same ready as well as Bryce Salvador.
Veteran Sabres’ goalie, Ryan Miller, and New Jersey goalkeeper, Martin Brodeur, faced the exact same amount of shots throughout the 60-minute contest, but the former failed to block three of 23, thus, giving the game to the Devils.
"We definitely have had a frustrating start to the season", Miller said.
Thomas Vanek added Buffalo’s first and last of the night, less than a minute after Gaustad made the insurance shot, during one of many power play opportunities of the second period but failed to add anymore in the final 20 minutes.
New Jersey has one more at home against Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday while Buffalo will be facing the Washington Capitals on Friday.
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