Dominator Returns to Keep Sabres Alive

The man who called himself Swiss cheese turned into a block of cheddar.

He had to.

The Buffalo Sabres played so poorly that they needed Dominik Hasek to be the Dominator once again, to be a one-man team to keep their season alive.

He did it with luck, versatility and he needed every inch of his body. He stopped Peter Bondra on a third-period breakaway a minute after he was shaken up. He gave up a one-goal lead, survived numerous deflections, a disallowed goal by Adam Oates and another no-goal by Oates that was subjected to video review.

But Hasek, who had labeled himself “Swiss cheese” after losing three games, came through with 34 saves Tuesday night as the Sabres beat the Washington Capitals, 2-1, to close the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals to 3-2 and force a Game 6 Thursday night at Buffalo.

“I made some saves I didn’t even know how I made,” said Hasek, shaking his head in disbelief. “It was tough for a few days. . . . Sometimes the bounces don’t go my way. Today I was more lucky.”

The Sabres, trying to become the first team to overcome a 3-1 series deficit to win a conference final, were outshot, 35-16, as the Capitals controlled the game with vicious fore-checking. But Buffalo’s shot No. 14--a superb individual effort by former Capital defenseman Jason Woolley--found the net with 4:26 remaining. It was only the second third-period goal the Sabres have scored all series.

With the Capitals on a line change, Woolley started at his own blue line and skated untouched between the Washington defenseman and put the puck between goaltender Olaf Kolzig’s legs. The shot silenced the MCI Center’s boisterous sellout crowd, which was hoping to witness the biggest victory in the history of the Capital franchise.

“I just made a move,” Woolley said. “I saw the hole, and I wanted to break through.”

It was about the only good Sabre play not made by Hasek. Among the goalie’s big moments: He pinned the puck against the right post to stop Oates with 10:49 to play--a no-goal verified by the replay official--and snatched Richard Zednik’s attempt out of mid-air with 7:55 left.

“It’s just a situation where Dom came back and showed all the people who after one game were quick to doubt him and count us out,” center Michael Peca said. “He made some incredible saves.”

Then there was Bondra, who had a chance to give the Capitals the lead with 12:30 to play on his second short-handed breakaway of the night, but he kept the puck low--where Hasek is at his best--and the goalie stopped the shot with his right pad.

The save came shortly after Hasek was knocked to the ice in a collision with Brian Bellows. Hasek was on the ice for about a minute before play resumed.