BUFFALO — After an ear-splitting roar for rookie Tyler Myers and just before an even louder ovation for Ryan Miller during Thursday’s pregame introductions, Derek Roy got what can be best described as a mixed reaction as his name bellowed from the HSBC Arena speaker system. 

A smattering of boos were intermingled with the same hometown greeting that met all the Sabres, even Drew Stafford and Jochen Hecht, who were announced on an obviously recorded message by Rick Jeanneret despite the fact that both were absent from the lineup.

Makes perfect sense. Although Roy led the Northeast Division champs in scoring this season, he hasn’t exactly emerged as the player fans envisioned when he scored 32 goals and had 81 points two years ago. Roy’s most defining characteristic, still, is his ability to flop on a dime, and his penchant for sloppy turnovers in the offensive zone can be, dare I say, Afinogenov-like.

Still, Roy has yet to turn 28 (his birthday is two weeks from Tuesday), and it’s not like his prime has passed. The last time the Sabres reached the postseason, Roy was just one of a number of potent scorers on a high-flying lineup, but now he’s the top guy, one of the most integral parts to an offense that sometimes can’t find its footing.

In the first period of the team’s first playoff game in three years, Roy certainly looked determined to win the hometown crowd over. In one of his first shifts of the night, he came out like a rocket, looking for a pass from Steve Montador as he cruised through the neutral zone. The defenseman didn’t deliver, and Roy fell down trying to stay onside.

But a moment later, Roy did find the stick on his puck, made a nifty move to drop it to Thomas Vanek, and the Sabres got on the board as Vanek blasted a perfect shot past Tuukka Rask.

Roy admitted after it wasn’t exactly the way he planned it.

“I beat my defenseman and I didn’t even see Thomas until the last second. I was about to shoot it,” Roy said. “That’s where communication comes into play. He yelled out and I looked back and saw him and just laid it in for him. He made a nice shot.”

Playing for six years with Vanek has its benefits.

Roy kept churning throughout and although he had a pair of giveaways, none created a scoring chance for the visitors. He also can be a liability in the face-off circle — he lost nine of the 10 draws he took on Thursday — but made up for his shortcomings by digging for pucks and working hard behind the net.

And that determination paid off in the third, when Dennis Wideman pulled the legs out from under Roy with less than seven minutes to play, giving the Sabres one of three power plays that helped kill the final minutes.

He nearly got some insurance, too, if not for the quick hands of Rask, who stopped a great chance in the final minutes after Vanek’s blast gave Roy a rebound in the slot.

Roy didn’t convert, but as the chances come, so will the playoff points.

And hopefully, so will the support of fans who still aren’t sure what to make of Roy.

His legacy can still be molded. 

“It’s all about taking initiative, going out and working hard. Playing within your limits and playing my game and I’m playing hard,” he said.

“There’s no pressure. I think everybody here isn’t going too lose. We’re just going to go out as a team, play hard and have fun.”