A night for the books

"Tonight's game was more about the community." -Jason Pominville

We needed this. The Team needed this. The City needed this. The Community needed this.

For 2.5hrs we could try to forget about our pain and come together to find some comfort in being together and overcoming. Even if just for a few hours. So for that, I thank you Sabres. Thank you. For that little bit of time some of us were able to try to return to normalcy. It will take a long time. But we're strong and we're tough and we'll make it through this, together. That's why I feel this game was so much more than a hockey game.

-The moment of silence in the beginning was very powerful. I doubt it's ever been that quite, and hopefully it will never have to be again.

-It was crazy how on fire we came out of the gate. It's truly like they were playing for something else, something bigger.

-When I found out Paille was going to play I was hoping like hell he'd play his ass off, and he didn't disappoint.

-RJ, Neale, and Rayzor were in fine form tonight. They were full of one-liners. I love it.

-I totally thought Stafford scored that goal, but it went over the net. It was such a sweet play though! Man, he's playing wicked hockey right now...

-On San Jose's 3rd goal, Lydman gave up too fast. He was all over Boyle and then let up, and what do you know? Back of the net.

-That high stick penalty on Rivet was total BS. Thorton's own guy hit him! And I found it funny that he was pointing to the inside of his lip, saying it was bleeding and the ref totally rolled his eyes. That was awesome.

-How did 3 of our guys miss their checks on Pavelski's goal? Terrible.

OMG. Did you guys see how excited Rivet was when he scored? The entire building erupted!! The team went totally crazy. And I've never seen a bigger smile plastered on that guy's face. It was incredible. Take a look at his face in this pic. It seriously felt like... something. I can't even explain what. How much do you think that goal meant to him [even though he didn't end up scoring it, it went to Pommers]? This was his old team that dropped [traded] him this summer. The emotions were off the Richter scale. That combined with what he said early to the media about what he hoped this game could accomplish, how it wasn't about them. He wanted to give something and help somehow, and this is the only way he knows.

Several people commented on how after that tying goal with 3.9 seconds left it was the loudest the building has been since the playoffs- how it seemed like it was sort of a release for everyone, players included. And Ruff's response? "We needed a fairy tale ending." He said, "we needed to give the city something positive."

Kevin Sylvester's response- "Is there any question why the city loves that man? He knows the game meant little."