European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 14, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 34 stars and stripes saturday april 14 2007 David buffaloes Tim Connolly celebrates a goal by the sabres Brian Camp Bell not shown against the new York islanders on thursday night in Buffalo by Buffalo won 41 rangers earn first playoff win since 1997 by Charles Odum the associated press Atlanta the new York rangers scored the first two goals and never trailed in holding off the Atlanta Thrashers 43 in thursday night s Eastern Confer ence playoff opener the Thrashers in their seventh nil season were playing their first playoff game they desperately tried for a tying goal in the final minute with a Power play but were denied the rangers won for the first time since the 1997 playoffs they were swept by new Jer sey in the first round last year but Jaromir jagr helped make sure new York enjoyed a better Start in this series the rangers out shot the Thrashers 3824 the rangers Drew Only two penalties in the game including one against Thomas pock for hold ing the stick with to play Atlanta pulled goalie Kari Lehtonen after the penalty but was stymied by Henric Lundqvist who stopped 35 shots jagr scored his 68th postseason goal Michael Nylander had a goal and two assists and Michal Rosival and Marcel Hossa also scored for the rangers Eric Belanger Shane Hnidy and Pascal Dupuis scored for at Lanta the Thrashers Cut new Yorks Lead to 43 about six minutes into the third period when Dupuis scored from in front of the net Nylander set up the first goal with a Cross ice pass to jagr who was waiting in the right Circle for his onetime past Lehtonen there were no penalties until late in the opening period and each team scored quickly on its first Power play Opportunity sabres Stanley cup bid off to Strong Start buffaloes balanced offence too much for islanders in game 1 of series by John Wawrow the associated press Buffalo by Rick Dipietro to the Rescue with their Star goaltender cleared for practice for the first time in three weeks the new York islanders certainly need a boost after discovering How difficult it is to beat Buffalo when the no 1seeded sabres Are on top of their game Chris Drury and Brian Camp Bell each scored two goals in help ing the sabres efficiently open the playoffs with a 41 Victory in their Besto seven Eastern con Ference series thursday night As they did in finishing the sea son with a league leading 53 Victo Ries and 308 goals the sabres showed off their balanced of sense Campbells Gam opening goal was set up by fourth line Center Tim Connolly and Buffalo converted two of six Power play chances better still Buffalo was sound on defense limiting the islanders to 21 shots including Only one in the first period were deep when we Roll the lines like we did tonight said Campbell who also added an As Sist if s a huge positive for our hockey club and Campbell shrugged when informed of Dipietro potentially being available for game 2 at Buffalo on saturday i dont think a goaltender can change too much Campbell nil scoreboard Eastern conference Buffalo is by islanders thursday Buffalo 4 by islanders 1 Buffalo leads series 10 saturday by islanders at Buffalo monday Buffalo at by islanders wednesday Buffalo at by islanders Friday april 20 by islanders at Buffalo if necessary sunday april 22 Buffalo at by islanders if necessary tuesday april 24 by islanders at Buffalo if necessary new Jersey is Tampa Bay thursday new Jersey 5 Tampa Bay 3 new Jersey leads series 10 saturday Tampa Bay at new Jersey monday new Jersey at Tampa Bay wednesday new Jersey at Tampa Bay Friday april 20 Tampa Bay at new Jersey if necessary sunday april 22 new Jersey at Tampa Bay if necessary tuesday april 24 Tampa Bay at new Jer sey if necessary Atlanta is by rangers thursday by rangers 4 Atlanta 3 by rangers Lead series 10 saturday by rangers at Atlanta tuesday Atlanta at by rangers wednesday Atlanta at by rangers Friday Panl 2fc by rangers at Atlanta if necessary sunday april 22 Atlanta at by rangers if necessary monday april 23 by rangers at Atlanta if necessary Ottawa is Pittsburgh wednesday Ottawa 6 Pittsburgh 3 Ottawa leads series 10 saturday Pittsburgh at Ottawa sunday Ottawa at Pittsburgh tuesday Ottawa at Pittsburgh thursday april 19 Pittsburgh at Ottawa if necessary sunday april 22 Ottawa at Pittsburgh if necessary tuesday april 24 Pittsburgh at Ottawa if necessary Western conference Detroit is Calgary thursday Detroit 4 Calgary 1 Detroit leads series 10 sunday Calgary at Detroit tuesday Detroit at Calgary thursday april 19 Detroit at Calgary saturday april 21 Calgary at Detroit if necessary sunday april 22 Detroit at Calgary if Nec Essary tuesday april 24 Calgary at Detroit if Nec Essary Anaheim is Minnesota wednesday Anaheim 2 Minnesota 1 Ana Heim leads series 10 Friday Minnesota at Anaheim sunday Anaheim at Minnesota tuesday Anaheim at Minnesota thursday april 19 Minnesota at Anaheim if necessary saturday april 21 Anaheim at Minnesota if necessary monday april 23 Minnesota at Anaheim if necessary Vancouver is Dallas wednesday Vancouver 5 Dallas 4 40t Vancouver leads series 10 Friday Dallas at Vancouver sunday Vancouver at Dallas tuesday Vancouver at Dallas thursday april 19 Dallas at Vancouver if necessary saturday april 21 Vancouver at Dallas if necessary monday april 23 Dallas at Vancouver if necessary Nashville is san Jose wednesday san Jose 5 Nashville 4 20t san Jose leads series 10 Friday san Jose at Nashville monday Nashville at san Jose wednesday Nashville at san Jose Friday april 20 san Jose at Nashville if necessary sunday april 22 Nashville at san Jose if necessary tuesday april 24 san Jose at Nashville if necessary thursday rangers 4 Thrashers 3 by rangers 2 2 04 Atlanta l 1 13 first period1 by rangers jagr 1 by Lander 2 by rangers Rosival 1 Straka 3 Atlanta Belanger 1 have lid second by rangers Marcel Hossa 1 Tyutin Atlanta Hnidy 1 Larsen by rang ers Nylander 1 Prucha third period7 Atlanta Dupuis 1 Larsen shots on Galny rangers 1317838 Atlanta 810624 Power play rangers 1 of 3 Atlanta 1 of 2 6oaiiesny rangers Lundqvist 10 24 shots21 Atlanta Lehtonen 01 a18857 red wings 4 flames 1 Calgary 0 0 11 Detroit 2 2 04 first Detroit Filppula 1 fran zen 2 Detroit Lidstrom 1 Hudler second Detroit Matsyuk 1 Holmstrom 4 Detroit Schneider 1 Matsyuk third Calgary Tanguay 1 Langkow shots on goal Calgary 75820 Detroit 11211446 Power play 1 of 5 Detroit 1 of 7 goalie Calgary Kip Rusoff 01 46 shots42 Detroit hasek 10 a19204 devils 5 us Honing 3 Tampa Bay 1 1 new Jersey 2 1 25 first new Jersey Parise 1 2 new Jersey Elias 1 Gomez 3 Tampa Bay St Louis 1 Rich Ards second new Jersey Rafalski 1 Gomez 336 5 Tampa Bay Lecavalier third Tampa Bay Lecavalier 2 Prospal St 7 new Jersey Parise 2 8 new Jer sey Gionta 1 Gomez 1838 shots on Bay new Jersey 107724 Power play Bay 1 of 6 new Jersey 2 of 3 Bay Holmqvist 01 24 shots19 new Jersey Brodeur 10 a14495 sabres 4 islanders 1 by islanders 0 1 01 Buffalo 1 1 24 first Buffalo Campbell 1 con Nolly second by islanders Asham 1 Blake 3 Buffalo Drury 1 Campbell third period4 Buffalo Drury 2 Zubrus Buffalo Campbell 2 Bri Ere 1635 shots on Galny islanders 191121 Buffalo 11111335 Power play opportunities by islanders oof 3 Buffalo 2of 6 islanders Tubielewicz 01 35 shots31 Buffalo Miller 10 a18690 said referring to the sabres approach if Hes in then that s the goalie we face and we go after it Dipietro who missed the is Landers final seven regular sea son games has been out since sus Taining his second concussion on March 25 he was cleared to travel earlier in the Day and arrived in time to watch the teams loss were optimistic said Dipietro who was to practice Friday in looking Forward to trying to get Back goal ending want the Isles problem on thursday minor leaguer Wade Dubi Ulewicz making his career play off debut kept the Isles in it by stopping 20 of the first 22 shots and finished with 31 saves the Challenge for new York is determining How to generate of sense while keeping the sabres speedy forwards in Check getting from defense to of sense the transition for us has to be better Isles coach Ted Nolan said but we cant get caught up into trying to get too much of sense because if we do that there too explosive the other Way the Victory was the first step for a sabres team whose Lone objective since the Start of the sea son has been winning the Stanley cup Buffalo is focused after re turning the same Core of players that got within one Victory of last years finals before losing to even Tual Champion Carolina it was Good to see us playing with Confidence for us in that part of the game goalie Ryan Miller said referring to the sabres defensive Effort devils capitalize on lightning mistakes the associated press East Rutherford n j Zach Parise scored his second goal on a Giveand go with Jamie Langenbrunne Early in the third period leading the new Jersey devils to a 53 Victory Over the Tampa Bay lightning in their playoff opener thursday night Scott Gomez set up Power play goals by Patrik Elias and Brian Rafalski and the clinching goal by Brian Gionta with to play for new Jersey devils goaltender Martin Bro Deur who set a season record with 48 victories looked Ordinary in making 23 saves in the game determined by Power plays and turnovers Vincent Lecavalier scored twice to rally the lightning from a 31 deficit and Martin St Louis had the other for Tampa Bay the devils converted on two of their three Power play chances and got both of parises goals and Liontas on lightning turnovers Tampa Bay was lfor6 on the Power play Lecavalier who scored a league leading 52 goals this sea son stole a pass by devils defend Seman Colin White behind the net and stuffed a shot past Brodeur Midway through the second period he tied the game at of the third period with a slap shot from the right Circle a Little More than a minute later Parise and Langenbrunne forced a turnover in Center ice Parise gave the puck to Langen Brunner and took a return pass firing a shot off the shoulder of lightning goaltender Johan Holmqvist into the net Brodeur playing in his 154th playoff game stopped a couple of chances by Dan Boyle and St Louis with about nine minutes to go to preserve the Lead then Holmqvist in his first playoff game made the last big mistake Holmqvist stopped a slap shot by Gionta and instead of freezing the puck he tried to move it Elias intercepted and gave it to Gomez who found Gionta for an easy goal red wings Roll in opener the associated press Detroit the Detroit red wings put a Calgary player on his Back and had the flames on their heels with a crushing Check and two goals a the first 8 minutes thursday night Val Teri Filppula and Nicklas Lidstrom scored in the first period helping Detroit get started in a 41 rout Over Calgary in game 1 of their first round playoff series the red wings led 40 by the Middle of the second period on Pavel dats yuks and Mathieu schneiders goals giving goaltender Dominik hasek More than enough offence game 2 is sunday in Detroit be fore the Besto seven series shifts to Calgary the red wings Are determined to use toughness depth and improved goal ending to avoid the Early exits in the playoffs that have haunted them in recent years so far so Good the Western conferences to seeded team set the tone in the opening minutes when Schneider knocked Down mat thew Lombardi Landing the first big hit of the game a few min utes later Filppula goal ended a Beautiful end trend play hasek made 19 saves facing just two shots in the first 10 min utes and 12 after two periods i Prusoff the Star at the other end of the ice was much busier facing 46 shots i