This was a game of extremes in some ways. Jonas Gustavsson can play extremely well and look as good as any other goalkeeper at times in any game. Conversely, he sometimes can be baffling , as he was on tonight’s first goal of the game, by Buffalo’s Nathan Paetsch, at 6;11 of the first period. This goal was a real softy that “The Monster” should have stopped; a fairly easy shot between the legs. Other extremes would include the two Leafs goals. They were perfectly executed plays that created the only possibilities for beating Ryan Miller, who is rarely, if ever, ( at least this year ) beaten because he fails to cover the corners his net. The Toronto goals by Victor Stalberg, at 3;41 of the second period and Ian White at 17:20 , were both perfectly executed drive to and crash the net plays, where Toronto got tip in goals. As usual, Miller made saves where it was humanly possible to do so. The best save of the night was the Sabres goalkeeper stopping Lee Stempniak on a short-handed breakaway in the first period. The only other possibility of beating Miller was an opportunity that Jason Blake had in the second period, where he had a wide open net to the left of Ryan Miller, but failed to cash in. Buffalo almost had a second period goal, where pressure in the Leafs zone led to a shot hitting the goal post, and going across the crease behind Gustavsson, but staying out of the net.
The other extreme in this match came in the overtime period, where unbelievably, Derek Roy, was left completely unguarded in front of the Leafs net. In fact, the former Kitchener Ranger had so much time and space in front of the Leafs net, he could have written a novel and still scored a goal. The goal itself was a beauty, with Roy using a backhand move on Gustavsson, and executing it perfectly at 3:35 to seal the comeback win for Buffalo, to make the final score 3-2. With the standings being as close as they are,a lost point like this one, could be what separates them from a playoff spot at the end of the year. It was hard to figure the Leafs fans chanting Ryan Miller’s name at the Air Canada Centre, in the sarcastic tone saved for players who make embarrassing mistakes , or who are performing poorly. It seems to me that the Leafs have had the Lions share of eye popping goals allowed this season on the NHL, and obviously, Miller was hardly rattled by this waste of breath. Then again, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, considering that Bobby Orr was always booed by Leafs fans every time he touched the puck in Maple Leafs Gardens. It didn't seem to disrupt his dominating Hall Of Fame performances in the sixties and seventies either.