It was a battle of two teams needing the same result for two entirely different reasons. The Tampa Bay Lightning were looking to get one step closer to securing home ice in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; the Sabres were just looking to get an invite to the party. It was Buffalo that played like a team sitting in 8th in the East with less then a week to go in this one, beating the Bolts 4-2.
Buffalo came out of the gates flying, with all kinds of opportunities in the first period, including at least one open net. The Lightning kept the Sabres off the scoreboard though, and struck first when Mike Lundin threw a very innocent shot at the net. The puck was deflected out of the air by Ryan Malone to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead. For Malone, it was his 13th goal of the year.
The Sabres would answer right back though when Thomas Vanek converted on a 5-3 powerplay to even the score. For Vanek it was his 29th goal of the year.
This article appears in Mar 31 – Apr 6, 2011.