Forget the season. Forget the injuries. Forget not being in the playoff race. For one special night, you couldn’t write a better story for the Buffalo Sabres or their captain, Brian Gionta.
Playing in his 1000th NHL game, and honored in a moving pre-game ceremony, Gionta would score the game-winning goal during the second period in front of family, friends, and the fans who cheered for the team Gionta grew up watching.
It was the second consecutive outing for the Sabres that saw them dominate their opponent from bell to bell, adding a bit more of the “what could have been” frustration to the end of the season, but a good sign nonetheless.