Weekend Recap: My hockey team went to Florida and all they got me was four points

The Sabres came in to a back-to-back set with the Panthers and Lightning looking for their first win on the road this season.

They got their first... and second.

FRIDAY: SABRES 4, PANTHERS 2
Paille's lack of hand-eye coordination leads Sabres to win

The Sabres erased an early 1-0 deficit and tied the game at 2 with just over 11 minutes remaining. With about 9 minutes left, a Drew Stafford shot deflected up in the air above the Florida goal. Daniel Paille swung at it with a high stick, and missed it completely, allowing it to drop behind Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun and roll over the goal line. Paille scored a shortie with three minutes left to seal the win.

Defenseman Mike Weber made his NHL debut, and was impressively solid in his 10:16 of ice time. Ales Kotalik and Jochen Hecht also scored for the Sabres.

SATURDAY: SABRES 4, LIGHTNING 3 (OT)
Shane O'Brien pulls McCabe, Sabres in in OT

Buffalo again erased a deficit to come back and eventually earn a victory. After allowing two quick goals early in the second period, the Sabres tied it up before the 2nd intermission on goals by Maxim Afinogenov and Paul Gaustad. After Tampa's Vincent Lecavalier scored to take the lead, Buffalo was able to even the score with just under seven minutes remaining on Nathan Paetsch's first goal of the season.

Tampa appeared to take the lead late in regulation, but a Lecavalier goal was waived off after it was ruled that Martin St. Louis interfered with Ryan Miller.

In the final minute of the extra session, Thomas Vanek sent a pass in front of the net on a rush to a streaking Nathan Paetsch, which deflected off Tampa defenseman Shane O'Brien deflected into his own net, giving the Sabres a win.

The Sabres' next game is Thursday in Boston.

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Buffalo is apparently close to bolstering their defense.

The team has worked out free agent Nolan Pratt, who resides in Tampa, while they've been in Florida. It appears they are close to signing him, according to today's Buffalo News.

The free agent defenseman skated with the Sabres again Saturday morning as part of a twoday tryout, and the visit went well. Though Pratt said nothing is official and General Manager Darcy Regier told The News a decision would be made in the next day or two, the former Lightning defenseman and Tampa resident was being congratulated by his former teammates after Saturday’s game. One person told Pratt, “See you next time,” in reference to the next Buffalo-Tampa matchup.

“I hope I made a good impression,” Pratt said.

The Sabres were only carrying six defensemen on the roster until injuries struck. Jaroslav Spacek is slated to return Thursday, and it appears Dmitri Kalinin will miss at least the next month due to a knee sprain suffered against Carolina last week. Signing Pratt would allow the Sabres to send Andrej Sekera back to Rochester, which may be better for his long term development.