EYE OPENER: SABRES STEAL GAME 1 FROM SENS

BUF 7 Final OT
OTT 6

That was a ridiculous game, from start to finish. A wide open affair more akin to EA Sports NHL 2001 on the Playstation, with defensive lapses galore and porous goalies, featuring:

* 13 goals
* Two shorthanded goals by Buffalo
* 6 ties (and Buffalo was down a goal 5 different times)
* 3 goals scored in first 3:20
* 3 goals scored in the final 1:37 of regulation
* An OT that lasted only 18 seconds (4th quickest)

Whew.

I wasn't even sitting down when Grier scored 35 seconds in, and after Spezza and Smolinski scored 15 seconds apart to make it 2-1 only 3:20 in, I was thinking this game could end up 11-10. It would take too long describe the whole game, so let's just take a look at the final half of this one.

After the Sabres tied it up with 30 seconds left in the 2nd (Roy, 4-4), they gave up a quickie only 16 seconds into the 3rd (Fisher, 5-4 OTT). It stayed that way until the Sabres drew a penalty with 3 minutes left canceling their own PP, but managed to score shorthanded with 1:37 left to tie it up (Roy, 5-5). Only 24 seconds later, with Ottawa still on the PP, the Sabres D overcommitted and gave up a wide open goal (Smolinski, 6-5 OTT). After an unsuccessful empty net attempt by Ottawa, the Sabres brought it down the other end, and scored the tying goal (Connelly, 6-6) with only 10 seconds left when Emery couldn't cover up the puck! What a rollercoaster ride.

If you blinked, you would have missed the OT. On a Ottawa giveaway just inside the blue line, Grier passed it to Drury for the winner, only 18 seconds in. Unbelievable.

The Sabres completely stole that one from the Sens. I was impressed by this Buffalo team, they never stop skating, and never quit. Wow.

This series could be crazy . . .

(Oh, and I give permission to CBS Sportsline to use the name of my Eye-Opener blog.)