SCOREBOARD
Friday, May 18
No games scheduled in the NHL playoffs.
STAR
Wednesday
– Ryan Miller, Sabres, stopped 31 of 33 shots, including 15 in the third period of Buffalo’s 3-2 win to keep the Sabres alive in the Eastern Conference finals.
FAST START
Buffalo’s Derek Roy set a team playoff record when he scored 9 seconds into the Sabres’ 3-2 win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Ottawa Senators. Henrik Tallinder held the Sabres’ record at 33 seconds on May 13, 2006. Los Angeles’ Don Kozak set the NHL record for the fastest goal in a playoff game when he scored 6 seconds into the Kings’ 7-4 win over Boston on April 17, 1977.
BENCHED
Chris Pronger of Anaheim was suspended for one game by the NHL for his hit on Detroit’s Tomas Holmstrom. Pronger, one of the league’s best defenseman, will miss Game 4 of the Ducks-Red Wings series Thursday night in Anaheim. Pronger leads the Ducks with 12 points, including three goals, during the playoffs.
PLAYOFF COMEBACKS
Buffalo is looking to become the third team to come back from a 3-0 playoff deficit. The two teams to accomplish the feat were the 1975 New York Islanders in the quarterfinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins and the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs against the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup final.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
– Chicago’s No. 3 overall draft pick, Jonathan Toews signed a three-year, entry level contract. The 19-year-old center scored two goals and added five assists for gold-medal winning Canada at this year’s world junior hockey championships.
– Washington agreed to terms with center Nicklas Backstrom, the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft. Backstrom led Swedish Elite League club Brynas in points and assists and represented his country at the recent world championship.
SPEAKING
“They were trying their hardest to give it to us, but their goalie decided that he didn’t want to let anything by him.” – Ottawa’s JoeCorvo on Sabres’ goalie Ryan Miller, who made 31 saves in Buffalo’s 3-2 win that staved off elimination Wednesday night.