Sabres Slay Star-Stricken Lynx, Secure Second

The Lite-Sabres continued their winning ways Monday night while the ADC Lynx continued to struggle with many of their top players missing in action. The Sabres entered the game against the Lynx on a roll, winning their last 3 games, while the Lynx had lost four of their last 5 games coming into Monday's action. In fact, the Sabres last lost was to the Lynx while the Lynx' last victory was against the Sabres.

The game started out slowly, as no goals were scored in the first half of the first period. Finally it was the Lynx who got on the board first, when Mike Hashem converted a two-on-one pass from Tony Warnell. Dave MacKenzie and Chris Davison then traded goals for the Sabres and Lynx respectively, making it a 2-1 Lynx lead.

But it was the end of the first period, and the beginning of the second that proved to be the pivotal stretch in the game. In that span the Sabres scored 5 consecutive goals, led by three straight goals by the Sabres big line of MacKenzie and Spiro Bokolas to end the first period.

The game was evenly matched from then on, as each team scored 5 more goals to make the final 11-7. The Lynx' surprise starting goaltender Peter Rankin was often spectacular in keeping his team close. Despite being outshot 59-35, Rankin kept his team within striking distance, and was named the game's first star as a result.

Bokolas, who was returning after missing one game with a knee injury, led the Sabres with four goals and one assist, and was named the game's second star. The game's third star, David Watson, also had a hat-trick, including the game-winner, in becoming the league's 17th all-time leading scorer. MacKenzie and Damien Ho scored two goals apiece for the Sabres, while Dan Culligan pitched in with 3 assists.

The Lynx were led by their whirling dervish, Tony Warnell, who had a season-high 3 goals in a losing cause. Hashem, Davison, Jason Fitzgerald, and first-string goalie Tony McCarthy scored singles for the Lynx.

With the win, the Sabres move into second place, one point behind the first place Hackers. The Lynx drop to 3-5, and remain in 5th place overall.