Slowly, Recchi moved down the slot as Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek moved out to cut down the angle. I just wanted to get it on net. He did better. A seventh game would be Monday night at the First Union Center. For the Sabres, it was out of character for one of their penalty-killing units to be so inactive.
Buffalo is a well-drilled team that prides itself on composure.
But when the Flyers came out banging, the Sabres seemed to become unnerved. Early in the first period, Flyers defenseman Dan McGillis gave Maxim Afinogenov a good taste of his gloves with a high check and dumped him on his rear end at the Flyers' blue line. Afinogenov got up and proceeded to check Eric Desjardins into the boards, drawing a whistle for boarding. The Flyers didn't score on the ensuing power play, but John LeClair used the time to get under Hasek's skin by whacking Hasek's glove after the goalie had made a save and by landing on top of him during a scramble. Later in the first period, Warrener was called for tripping Recchi, and Gagne then jammed in the first goal for a 1-0 Flyers lead.