One game into the Eastern Conference Finals ... it's advantage: Buffalo. The Sabres have taken the home ice advantage away from Carolina with a 3-2 win in Game One.
Much of the talk this week has centered on the agressive offensive styles these teams employ, and they did not disappoint. The action was fast and furious -- the very definition of the "New NHL." But for all of the firepower in this game, good old-fashioned defense turned the tide.
Buffalo blocked 29 shots in Game One. Twenty-nine ... The Sabres' defensemen, alone, blocked more shots (22) than the entire 'Canes team (14). That made life a lot easier for Sabres' goalie Ryan Miller, who still had to make 29 saves. There's nothing new about this -- the Sabres have been blocking shots at a high rate all season, but Saturday's blockage really made a difference.
The mood in Carolina's locker room was what you'd want it to be at this point: disappointed, but positive. For all intents and purposes, Carolina played Buffalo to a draw -- not on the scoreboard, mind you, we're talking qualitatively here -- and the 'Canes won't be making any major changes between now and Game Two. Carolina had 31 shots on goal compared to Buffalo's 27. When you factor in the blocked shots, that's 58 'Canes attempts compared to 41 Sabres attempts... a sure sign that Carolina controlled the action for much of this game, and something from which the 'Canes can draw positives.
This was exactly the kind of game the NHL was hoping for when the league made sweeping rule changes before this season: fast, up-and-down-the-ice action. But, I doubt many expected these two teams to be the ones still playing at this point.
On to Game Two ...
