It was unlikely, improbable.  For the Bruins, it was the stuff of
nightmares; for the Sabres, it was a taste of heaven.  
   For the first time since 1983, the Sabres have won the first three
games of a series.  Last time was a three games to none victory in a
best of five against the Canadiens.  It takes a little more work this
time.  The Sabres seem ready to put in the extra work.
   On the heels of a shutout, one that took away Boston's home ice
advantage, the Sabres came back with a four to three overtime win.  It
wasn't easy.  It wasn't always pretty.  It still worked.
   John Blue got the nod for Boston, supplanting Andy Moog as starting
goaltender.  Moog was pulled midway through game 2 on Tuesday.
Buffalo started with a goal by Mogilny, his fourth of the playoffs, on
the powerplay, with Boston's Don Sweeney and Gord Roberts in the box.
LaFontaine and Hawerchuk had the assists.  Goal number two was
Khmylev's first of the playoffs, a pretty goal scored when the Sabres
stole the puck and passed to an open and waiting Khmylev.  Smehlik and
Hannan assisted.  Determined not to be shut out, Boston tallied on a
shot by Ray Bourque on the powerplay, with Colin Patterson and Bob
Sweeney both in the box.  Period two was scoreless, a split of
penalties between the two clubs.  The third saw Boston's Smolinski get
his first, courtesy of Oates.  Buffalo resecured the lead two minutes
later, from former Bruin Bob Sweeney (Khmylev and Carney).  Neely tied
the game 3/4 of the way through the third, sending it into overtime.
Last year overtime meant a Bruin win.  Last night, it spelled sweet
revenge, as Buffalo scored with Ray Bourque in the penalty box, on a
tip in by Khmylev (Hawerchuk and LaFontaine) a minute into overtime.
Both teams finished with 34 shots.  
        Power-play conversions--Boston 5-1. Buffalo 7-2.
        Referee--Rob Shick.

Comments:  Shick pocketed the whistle in the third, allowing a lot of
clutching and grabbing.  Buffalo's penalty killing unit was fantastic
again.  Mogilny was checking.  Granted he missed once and instead
flung his body into the boards, but checking like this is a novel idea
to Mogilny.  The crowd was unbelievable.  I don't think I've ever
heard a crowd that loud in the Aud for a Sabres game (remember, I was
only five when they played for the cup.  I don't remember it and no
one took me to the games).  Doug Bodger, in a postgame interview,
noted that he tried to say something to Hawerchuk, but the crowd was
too loud, even though he was shouting.  It didn't seem to matter, as
most of the Sabres and even Muckler said it was great.  Yuri Khmylev
didn't seem to realize that he was the game's third star and didn't
skate out when his name was called.  Sweeney (2) and Fuhr (1) each
were out before Yuri made his appearance, sans jersey.  When asked in
an interview later whether he knew how big a goal that was, he
responed yes (ok, it was through an interpreter and he said more than
that, even more than the interpreter said, but I digress).  The
interviewer seemed to think just because he doesn't speak English, he
must not understand playoffs.  Uh-huh. 
