But that was Recchi before Miroslav Satan ended the night and touched off a bench-clearing celebration in the right corner at 7:41 of double OT. As the Garden exploded and Satan, the hired gun signed in early January, was swarmed by his teammates, the Bruins could find few words to capture the elation of the 3-2 victory.
“Unexplainable,’’ said Johnny Boychuk. “An unbelievable feeling.’’
Unexplainable. The perfect word. It describes everything about how Miller, taken by surprise on Patrice Bergeron’s tying third-period goal, steeled himself and put forth a world-class effort in overtime to foil, among other Bruins, Satan on the backhand with a diving glove save.
Also unexplainable: In the most important game of their season, the Sabres were caught with too many men on the ice — Drew Stafford tried like mad to scramble back to the bench before the linesmen spotted his uninvited presence — at 5:50 of the second OT, giving the Bruins their sixth power play.
And there is no explaining how Michael Ryder, so down and out during the regular season that the coaching staff once gave thought to making him a healthy scratch, tiptoed his way through the Buffalo penalty kill to set up Satan for the goal that has seemingly buried the Sabres.
“Tuukka gave it to me, I looked up, and saw that I had a bit of ice,’’ said Ryder, twirling up the ice like the slickest of puck-moving defensemen. “I knew we didn’t have much time left on the power play. Just tried to get in the zone, then I saw Miro pretty open on the other side.’’
Ryder, who made a similar pass to a trailing Blake Wheeler in Game 2, then sat back and enjoyed the view. Satan drew Miller out of his crease. He faked to his forehand, then pulled the puck to his backhand. And Satan, the Bruins’ most recent champion (he hoisted the Cup with the Penguins last June), buried the winning goal into the open net.
“So patient on that power-play goal,’’ said Daniel Paille. “With Rydes carrying it in and seeing him, then Miro — how smooth he was carrying the puck to give us that overtime winner is definitely exciting for us.’’
