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Hockey takes a back seat as Buffalo mourns

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Updated Feb 14, 2009 5:29 AM ET
     
 
Derek Roy scored the decisive shootout goal in the Sabres' 6-5 victory over the San Jose Sharks on an emotional night where the team paid tribute to victims of Thursday's plane crash in a Buffalo suburb. Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn declined NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly's offer to postpone the game after consulting with staff and players. "I called him back and said we thought it was best that we play the game," Quinn said during the first intermission. "Once we made sure nobody was directly affected on the team and their families, we felt it was best for the community to play the game." The Sabres had a moment of silence prior to the opening faceoff, and the fans gave them a standing ovation as they skated off after the game. The game was played, but Hockey - and much of everything else - took a back seat as fans, players and team staff alike remembered the 50 people killed in the crash. "I think that people want to be with other people at times like this," Quinn said. "I think it does have a nice community purpose to it." Several players and coach Lindy Ruff live near the crash site. "It's an incredibly sad day for our city and we've talked about it that this is going to reach and touch a lot of people," Ruff said following the team's morning skate. "This is bigger than sports. It's a lot bigger." Defenceman Teppo Numminen said he heard something wrong with the plane during its approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport just before it crashed. "I heard a little poof afterwards, and I was thinking, 'That doesn't sound good,'" Numminen said. "So I looked out my window and saw the red sky and I knew something was wrong." Brad Boyes scored the lone goal early in the third period, and Chris Mason made 22 saves to shut out the Chicago Blackhawks for the second straight time in the St. Louis Blues' 1-0 victory. Jason Williams scored with 6: 55 to go to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 3-2 victory over Detroit, ending the Wings' win streak at six. The game marked the return of Columbus goalie Steve Mason, who missed three games while battling mononucleosis. He had 32 saves. Andrei Kostitsyn scored the tiebreaking goal with 2: 16 remaining, helping the Montreal Canadiens snap a seven-game road losing skid with a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Tom Kostopoulos added an empty-netter for the Habs. Scott Clemmensen had his second straight shutout after going nearly five years without one in the NHL, and Bryce Salvador provided a rare bit of offence in the New Jersey Devils' 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins. Richard Zednik scored the only goal in the shootout, and Tomas Vokoun stopped all four New York attempts in the surging Florida Panthers' 2-1 win over the Rangers. Joel Lundqvist gave Dallas the lead for good with his first goal of the season, and Marty Turco made 32 saves in the Stars' 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks . Star wire services
Tagged: Chris Mason, Steve Mason, Predators, Blue Jackets, Teppo Numminen, Blues, Sabres

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