Sabres Rally To Beat Rangers In Overtime
Posted May 4, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
After three rather mediocre games, Maxim Afinogenov was a healthy scratch for Game 4 of the NHL’s Eastern Conference Final between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers. On Friday night, he sent Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, and the rest of the league a message. Afinogenov scored the biggest goal of his career, an overtime thriller than capped a remarkable Sabres rally, as they downed the Rangers 2-1 in Game 5 before an ecstatic hometown crowd.
The Sabres are now a mere win away from a return trip to the NHL’s Eastern Conference final, after taking a commanding 3-2 series lead.
“He (Afinogenov) was back to being himself,” said Ruff. “He was skating well and challenging players and doing all that stuff. It was the old Max tonight.”
Afinogenov netted the winner on the power play at 4:39 of the first overtime period.
“Probably the biggest goal of my career,” he said after the game.
The Rangers looked to be on their way to a sure win, up 1-0 with seconds to go in the third, but the never-say-die Sabres pulled another miracle out of their hat when Captain Chris Drury tied things up with just 7.7 seconds left in the game, forcing overtime.
“The puck can find him, he’ll score the big goal,” Ruff said.
