Thursday presented one of those classic “Harvard Beats Yale 29-29" situations: who do you really deem the “winners” of an Arizona Coyotes - Buffalo Sabres game?
OK, in a literal sense, the Coyotes beat the Sabres 4-3 in OT.
Considering the tanking scenario, Buffalo really “wins” by generating one fewer standings point. Really, though, the Edmonton Oilers might be the “winners” in that the Sabres forced this contest to go to overtime with a late Brian Gionta goal.
Either way, it was an odd scene in which beat reporters were passing along notes about fans cheering for both Sabres and Coyotes goals in Buffalo.
I don't blame Sabres fans for cheering Coyotes' OT goal. I blame the lousy team and system that still makes losing in their best interest.
— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) March 27, 2015
Observe the ovation for Sam Gagner’s winning goal:
Here is how the race to the bottom looks now:
30. Buffalo - 48 points, eight games left
29. Arizona - 54 points, seven games left
28. Edmonton - 55 points, eight games left
Realistically, it’s probably just a battle for second-to-last, as it’s hard to imagine Buffalo winning enough to sabotage getting the best odds in the draft lottery. The good news for the Oilers is that Arizona and Buffalo face off again in Arizona on Monday.
Like a midnight showing of “The Room,” one gets the feeling that hockey fans will enjoy watching that next contest in a very sardonic sort of way ...
Weber: "It's tough to get momentum when your fans are rooting against you. That's the unfortunate part. I've never seen that before."
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) March 27, 2015