Here's more than the scores

Some observations after watching the Dallas-Colorado game last night and highlights from the other games:

~ Dallas' Matthew Barnaby may not be the most offensively-gifted player in the league, but he does brings so many other intangibles. With the Stars down 2-0, he hooks up with Avalanche pest Ian Laperierre in a lengthy wrestle-fest that, at the least, injected some life into the team.

Then, at the start of the third, he peppers his own bench with encouragement. What happens? Mike Modano and rookie Loui Eriksson score to tie the game. In overtime, goalie Marty Turco makes a perfect pass to Darryl Sydor, who skates in alone and absolutely "cookie-jars" Colorado's Jose Theodore for the game-winner.

~ Did you see the look of pure joy in Eriksson, who converted a cross-ice pass from Stu Barnes, after he scored his first NHL goal? There isn't a hockey player who doesn't want that same feeling. Priceless.

~ As a Sabres fan, I was thrilled that the Blue and Gold beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. But, as someone who was among the small crowds when the Whalercanes played at the Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum, it's too bad that it had to happen on the night the Hurricanes raised their championship banner.

~ Like so many others, watching Ottawa's Chris Neil get around Toronto's Hall Gill and get a weak shot past Andrew Raycroft was no surprise. Bruins fans saw all too much of that last season. Bruins Nation owes a great deal of gratitude to the Leafs.