THANK YOU!!!!...Flyers 4, Sabres 3 (SO)

(AP Photo, Don Heupel)

Finally, finally, finally!!!

Not only did the Flyers get a much-needed win against a Buffalo team that has been impossible to beat, but they won on the road 4-3 IN A SHOOTOUT!!! Normally, we here at Cafe Noire do not recognize the shootout, but we're waiving the rule tonight. The Flyers were down 3-0 at one point, with the Sabres scoring twice in 11 seconds. Once John Stevens called a timeout and settled the boys down, the Flyers began to take over. Jeff Carter scored on a sweet breakaway, Scott Hartnell ripped one past Ryan Miller toward the end of the first period, and R.J. Umberger tied the score on a powerplay goal. (Note: My apologies to all of my English teachers for that last run-on sentence) After Ales Kotalik and Carter got tallies in the shootout, Daniel Briere won it on a sick deke past Miller. As you can tell, I am happy. And sober. I said earlier that Jesse Boulerice probably wouldn't see too much ice time. Well, nine seconds into his first shift, he got into a fight with Andrew Peters. Wasn't really much of a fight, just two guys skating around holding each other's sweater while trying to connect a few roundhouses. The Class 2 felony on skates better known as Steve Downie made the trip despite a concussion (apparently in order to become a true Flyer you need a concussion or four), and mixed it up a bit. Marty Biron was fine once he let in his requisite three goals, shutting down the Sabres until Kotalik's goal in the newly recognized shootout.

This win means that Philly jumps ahead of Buffalo in the conference standings, putting them in eighth place on 69 points, one behind seventh-placed Boston. Ottawa is up next and they looked terrible tonight against the Maple Leafs, losing 5-0 in a game they must have forgot was on the schedule. It's like I said before, the Eastern conference is so packed that a few key wins could put the Flyers right back into fifth or even fourth within a week. It would help if they didn't give loser points to their opponents like they did tonight, but we'll take them as we get them.

In trade news, the Flyers picked up Vaclav Prospal from Tampa Bay in exchange for defenseman Alexander Picard and a draft pick next year. This move wouldn't have made too much sense before Simon Gagne and Mike Richards went down with injuries. Now, it sends a message that the team wants to better position themselves for the playoffs. Prospal was here before, so he knows about the culture of the organization. Plus, he has some decent playoff experience and a Stanley Cup to his name. I like the move.

The next three games for the O&B feature a home game with Ottawa before heading up I-95 to play the New York teams. The Senators are slipping, the Islanders can be soft at home, but there's always the Rangers to ruin a good weekend. Hopefully, this win gives us some momentum, and the addition of Prospal can only help providing he can adjust quick enough.