October 9, 1996
Dominik Hasek capped a 34-save performance with a stellar third
period and Brian Holzinger scored the tie-breaking goal with
14:18 remaining as the Buffalo Sabres edged the Vancouver
Canucks, 2-1, for their first win of the season.
Hasek allowed a goal by Pavel Bure 14 seconds into the game,
then stopped the last 33 shots, including 12 in the third
period.
"A friend once told me it's taboo to score in the first minute
and that's what I told the guys," said Buffalo coach Ted Nolan.
"We didn't get deflated at all. We've got a young team and we
just have to worry about the next shifts. I thought we played
one of our best periods in the season after that goal. Then all
of a sudden, we kind of fell asleep in the second and third and
let Dominik bail us out."
Bure had the best chance over the final 20 minutes when he got
the puck alone in front off Martin Gelinas' centering pass with
3:43 left. Hasek was sprawled across the goal, but managed to
smother the shot as Bure raised his arms thinking he had tied
it. Moments later, Hasek juggled Trevor Linden's shot from the
right point, but held on to force a faceoff.
"I was a couple of times lucky. A couple of times I didn't see
the puck. One time, it hit my head. I didn't see the puck at
all," Hasek said. "And that save on Bure, I don't know, I just
moved my hands behind me and the puck hit me. I didn't even
know I made a save. My teammates told me, `Stay still.' "
"Hasek didn't even see it, he didn't know where the puck was,"
Bure observed. "It wasn't comfortable for me because I had the
puck between my skate and my stick. We call it the dead spot.
It's really hard to reach the puck there. I tried to push it in
from there and he was just lying down and the puck hit him.
"I think the main problem tonight was Dominik Hasek," he
continued. "He played really well and we had lots of chances.
Only me, I missed two empty nets just at the end of the game.
Alex (Mogilny) had a few good chances, a couple of other guys
had a few good chances."
Former Sabre Alexander Mogilny had a chance from about 10 feet
out midway through the third period, but his wrist shot hit
defenseman Richard Smehlik in the skate.
Hasek also denied Mike Ridley on a rebound attempt with six
minutes to go and got lucky when Jyrki Lumme broke in alone 30
seconds later and fired wide of the left post.
"Vancouver's a very talented club," Nolan said. "They've got a
lot of snipers out there, but Dominik gives us a chance to win.
He stood tall, especially in the third. That's why he's paid
the big bucks, to stop the big shots and tonight he gave us what
he gives us almost every game -- a chance to win."
Holzinger started the play that led to the winning goal when he
intercepted goaltender Kirk McLean's clearing attempt behind the
Vancouver net. Shots by Smehlik and rookie Curtis Brown were
stopped, but Holzinger put home a backhander for his first goal
of the season.
Jason Dawe scored the other goal for Buffalo, which won at
Vancouver for the first time since October 30th, 1993.
The Sabres were outshot, 35-19, but completed a 1-2 road trip to
open the season.
The Canucks have lost two in a row after winning their season
opener and have been limited to four goals.
"I think with the players we have up front, whoever's in net, we
should get a few more goals by him," Lumme said. "But that
hasn't been the case in the last two games. We've been playing
well and getting lots of shots, we just have to go back at it
harder.
"We make a couple of little mistakes and they scored," he added.
"I mean in the second period, they had four shots and they score
a goal. It's frustrating when you play against a team that only
gets a few shots and they score. But it's early in the season
and a guy like Hasek will steal one for you once in a while."
Jon's 3 stars:
1. Dominek Hasek
2. Pavel Bure
3. Brian Holzinger
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