Watched the game. Can't fault Levi, he was fine. Other goalies (or a ref on the near side of the goal) may have gotten GA#1 whistled dead before it went in (not that a reply of a denied goal may not have been overturned, but my initial point stands - rookie goalie and ref on the far side of the post isn't going to blow it dead.
I've seen Vancouver play maybe three times total in past 3 years, so don't really know if this assessment is fair, but:
1. They are physical. Finishing checks all night with authority. They'd thump BUF in a 7-game series.
2. They are cohesive, play as a unit. Of course by comparison, the Sabres could make a room full of stray cats appear as a coordinated NASCAR pit crew.
3. They are fast (enough).
4. Their motion on the PP, both by their skaters and with the puck, make me jealous. Their passing especially. A lot of their high-low passes kept the Sabres killers continually turning their heads nearly 180 degrees, effectively removing them from the kill.
5. How the hell does Casey DeSmith look like a world killer every time he faces BUF? Same thing when he was with PIT.
6. I can see why they'll win >50 games this season.
Sabres too often entered the zone without enough support, pull up at the half wall waiting for a teammate attacker, and if/when that teammate arrives he is never driving the lane.
Sabres threw away the puck too readily with dump-ins.
Although I take no issue with the 2 goals they allowed while Levi was in net, the Sabres push-back just wasn't there for too much of the night.
Whomever called for the challenge on GA#1 (Granato or Willford?) should be flogged. I felt the downside risk (>50% probability to lose challenge, ~20% or whatever of a PP GA to go down 2, against a top-10 NHL team) wasn't worth it.
The proverbial "it's not over" fat lady took a nap through the Seattle game, but she's waking up now...