|
BUFFALO, N. Elite Matthew Stafford Youth White Jersey .Y. -- Marcus Foligno looked up at the video board and was moved as the Buffalo Sabres said farewell to two of their most popular players. Jhonas Enroth made 36 saves as the Sabres beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Friday night, a few hours after they traded goalie Ryan Miller and captain Steve Ott. "Im not going to lie. It was pretty emotional watching the tribute," Foligno said. "That was pretty nice what they did during the game, and those are two players that were hugely respected here in the city and respected Buffalo as well." Miller was set to start his 541st career game for the Sabres, but was pulled from the lineup just over an hour before the puck was dropped. The deal made Ted Nolan push Enroth into the starting lineup. "I was sitting in the back, joking around with the trainers about all these trade rumours and I told them hopefully it doesnt happen on game day, especially against the Sharks," Enroth quipped. "Three minutes after, Coach Nolan came up to me and told me I was starting, so I kind of jinxed myself there. "After that, I was a bit more nervous than usual but I told myself I had nothing to lose." Enroth played well and the Sabres got goals from Cody Hodgson, Brian Flynn, Matt Moulson and Tyler Myers. It was Enroths second consecutive win after he snapped a 0-10-4 slump with a 5-4 overtime win against Boston on Wednesday, which was his first home win since April. With the trade of Miller, Buffalo was forced to reach into their new hockey academy staff for a backup goaltender. HarborCenter director of technology Ryan Vinz was Buffalos No. 2 goaltender after being a video co-ordinator at Clarkson University. James Sheppard and Patrick Marleau scored for San Jose. With the trade, Buffalo general manager Tim Murray struck his first major deal since being hired in January, acquiring goalie Jaroslav Halak, forward Chris Stewart, prospect William Carrier, a 2015 first-round pick and a conditional 2016 third-round pick. Murray later explained that the pick in 2016 could turn into a first-round pick in this years draft if the Blues reach the Western Conference finals or Miller re-signs with St. Louis before the draft. The win gave Buffalo three straight wins for the first time since last April, and Myers said the milestone carries significance. "It feels good," he said. "We knew what position we were in going into this game, and we really wanted it. Hearing the news before the game we wanted it that much more." The Sabres opened the scoring on a power-play goal 10:59 into the first period, as Antti Niemi couldnt hold on to Hodgsons wrist shot. It was Hodgsons 15th goal and his first since Jan. 28. Enroth made a glove save of Matt Irwins slap shot through traffic with under seven minutes to play to keep Buffalo ahead. He made another strong glove save 7:22 into the second period when Marleau was left uncovered in the slot. "It was kind of late notice," Enroth said of getting the word he was starting, "but I just told myself to relax, go out there and compete." Moments after Enroth stopped Marleau, Myers beat Niemi off a rush up the right side, but his shot clanked off the cross bar. After another pair of saves, Enroth was beaten when Sheppard forced a puck between the goaltenders legs after a shot rebounded off the end boards. The Sharks finished the second period with a 31-13 advantage in shots on goal. "We knew theyd be ready," Sharks centre Joe Pavelski said. "We had our chances to score early and we didnt, fell behind, climbed back and just didnt turn the corner like we needed to." Buffalo restored its lead 4:33 into the third when Zemgus Girgensons won a faceoff back to Flynn, whose wrist shot beat Niemi. The Sabres doubled their advantage four minutes later when Myers jumped into the play from the right point to feed Moulson in the slot, who scored over Niemis shoulder. Marleau brought the Sharks within one with a one-timer with 1:15 left in regulation. Joe Thornton picked up his 50th assist of the season on the goal. "They played hard," Thornton said of the Sabres. "Obviously, Im sure a lot of feelings over there with two teammates. its a tough business, but they played well tonight." Myers added an empty-net goal with 21 seconds left to give him a goal and two assists on the night. "Tyler Myers is really starting to come into his own," Nolan said. "I thought he was sensational tonight." NOTES: Tyler Ennis missed his second straight game for Buffalo with "undisclosed soreness" ... San Jose LW Raffi Torres was scratched after scoring two goals in his season debut Thursday Joique Bell Jersey . The Vikings announced Saturday they downgraded Peterson from doubtful on the original injury report to out against Detroit Sunday, when the Vikings and Lions will play the last game at the Metrodome. Joique Bell Lions Authentic Jersey . Grant was fired a day after the Cavs dropped their sixth straight game, an embarrassing home loss to a Los Angeles Lakers team that started with eight players and finished with five.WASHINGTON -- Al Jefferson had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Gerald Henderson went 6 for 9 in his return from a calf injury Wednesday night to lead the Charlotte Bobcats to a 98-85 win over the Washington Wizards. Henderson finished with 13 points, and Kemba Walkers 16 points included four consecutive free throws during a late fourth-quarter run for the Bobcats, who have won four of five and sit in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. John Wall scored 23 points to lead the Wizards, but he went scoreless in the fourth and received little help from his teammates. Washington had won eight of its previous 10 and began the day in fifth, one-half game ahead of the Brooklyn Nets. Bobcats-Wizards late in the season is usually more about pingpong balls than playoffs, but Washington is closing in on its first post-season berth since 2008 and Charlotte is nearly there for the first time since 2010. Fittingly, they were evenly matched, a good sign for their two meetings yet to come on March 31 and April 9. Neither team led by more than six until Wall fouled Walker while Walker was attempting a 3-pointer with 4:34 to play. Walker was awarded three free throws, and Washington coach Randy Wittman was called for a technical foul after the second attempt. Walker made the technical, then made the last of his quartet of free throws to put the Bobcats ahead 87-80. Wall compounded matters for the Wizards by missing two free throws a half-minute later. Walker then hit a hang-in-the-air 3--pointer with the shot clock running down to make it a 10-point lead. DeAndre Levy Lions Authentic Jersey. The Bobcats closed the game with a 15-5 run. Henderson missed the previous five games with a strained right calf, and his return -- while welcome -- had potential chemistry issues to the point where coach Steve Clifford called a pregame team meeting to address players roles going forward. Henderson would start against the Wizards, Clifford told the team, but Chris Douglas-Roberts would continue to get substantial playing time based on matchups against certain opponents. Douglas-Roberts had played well in Hendersons absence, scoring in double figures in four of five games. Douglas-Roberts played 21 minutes off the bench Wednesday night and scored 10 points. Henderson, meanwhile, looked plenty healthy when he exploded for a one-handed jam in the first quarter. Wall had the only sure hand for the Wizards. He went 10 for 19 from the field, while everyone else was 25 for 63. Perhaps a sign of Wall trying too hard: He got reckless trying for one-handed driving dunk late in the third quarter and was called for a charge as he crashed onto the floor. Notes: Bobcats G Gary Neal, acquired last month in a trade, did not play due to "an internal team matter," according to an announcement by the team. ... Charlotte committed only two fouls in the first half. ... Both teams shot 20 for 43 (46.5 per cent) in the first half. ... The Bobcats improved to 2-8 against Southeast Division opponents. ' ' ' |
