FTS - 10/24/08

TOP STORY

Buffalo Battles Back the Wild

Ryan Miller Turns In Another Solid Performance

(Photo Credit: Paul Battaglia - AP)

AP Story: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jJCtogw4teMINIXHAbjwS2q6k66AD940JGVG6

Buffalo Sabres (6-0-1) over the Minnesota Wild (4-0-1) 4-3 in OT

-The Buffalo Sabres have yet to lose in regulation and keep finding different ways to win. Tonight, they handed the Minnesota Wild their first loss of the year despite trailing 3-1 in the 3rd period.

Buffalo would get regulation goals from Drew Stafford, Adam Mair and Thomas Vanek (his 8th of the season). Derek Roy would score the clincher :44 in to overtime. Despite scoring a goal on his own net, Ryan Miller made 30 saves. Buffalo keeps up their winning ways despite being without two of their key players. C Tim Connolly (back) missed his seventh straight game and C Jochen Hecht (finger) sat out his fifth consecutive game. Both are listed as day to day. Next up for the Sabres is a road game against the Colorado Avalanche.

Benoit Pouliot, Stephane Veilleux and Brent Burns scored the 3 Wild goals in the loss. Minnesota played its third straight game without RW Marian Gaborik (lower body) and RW Owen Nolan (leg). Nolan might return Saturday against the Blue Jackets.

OTHER HEADLINES

(Photo Credit - Paul Beatty - AP)

Vancouver Canucks' center Pavol Demitra will be sidelined 3-4 weeks after an MRI discovered fractured cartilage in his ribs. Demitra, who signed with the Canucks as a free agent this summer, is expected to see a specialist on Friday to deal with the injury.

Kyle Wellwood is expected to take Demitra's place in the lineup.This season, Demitra has scored two goals and added one assist for three points in six games. The Canucks host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday at GM Place. – COURTESY OF TSN.

RUMOR MILL

-No rumors to report today

LAST NIGHT'S RECAP

Toronto Maple Leafs (2-2-3) over the Boston Bruins (2-2-3) 4-2

-For the 5th time in seven games, the Bruins scored first, but it didn't matter as the Toronto Maple Leafs came back from 2-0 to win. Toronto got goals from Anton Stralman, Nik Antropov and Mike Van Ryn. It was an interesting night for Van Ryn, as he was checked through the plexiglass 20 seconds into the second period by Milan Lucic, sending glass flying into the crowd. Toronto went on a 37:20 stretch without allowing a SOG dating back to their last game (against the Ducks). On the bright side for Boston, Patrice Bergeron scored his first goal for the team since 10/13/07. Winger PJ Axelsson returned to the lineup after missing three games with muscle spasms.

Dallas Stars (3-4-1) over the New York Islanders (2-4-0) 5-3

-The Stars jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period and never looked back. C Mike Ribeiro chipped in a goal and a career-high four assists. LW Loui Eriksson potted two goals for Dallas. Islanders D Brendan Witt didn't return to the game after a knee-to-knee collision with RW Krystofer Barch in the 1st period. The team said it was an undisclosed lower-body injury, and that Witt would be re-evaluated Friday. G Rick DiPietro made his 2nd straight start of the season and finshed with 24. The Isles have now allowed 12 goals in their last two home games.

Pittsburgh Penguins (5-2-1) over the Carolina Hurricanes (3-2-1) 4-1

-Hurricanes rookie Brandon Sutter (son of Devils HC Brent Sutter and nephew of Flames GM Darryl Sutter) scored his first NHL goal and it was the first goal of the game. The lead would stand until the 3rd period, when Sidney Crosby and Ruslan Fedotenko scored 32 seconds apart to take the lead. The Penguins would never look back. Penguins G Marc-Andre Fleury earned career win #80. The Penguins played without D Hal Gill because of an unspecified injury. Carolina was 0-for-1 on the power play and is 0-for-14 in its last four games. Backup G Michael Leighton got the start despite Cam Ward having a 7-3-1 lifetime record against Pittsburgh.

Calgary Flames (3-3-1) over the Nashville Predators (3-4-0) 5-3

-The Flames battled back after being down 3-0 halfway through the 2nd period thanks to a hat trick from Jarome Iginla and goals from David Moss and Mike Cammalleri. D Dion Phanuef and C Craig Conroy each contributed 2 assists. Preds C Jason Arnott scored a PPG in his first game back after missing three games with a broken finger. Greg Zanon and Jordin Tootoo had the other goals for Nashville.

Colorado Avalanche (4-3-0) over the Edmonton Oilers (4-2-0) 4-1

-The Oilers jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but the Avs would fight back at home and hand Edmonton their 2nd straight loss. C Ian Laperriere contributed a goal and assist for the Avs while goalie Peter Budaj stoped 25 shots in Colorado's 4th straight win. Joe Sakic scored the 625th goal of his NHL career. Oilers D Steve Staios missed a second straight game for personal reasons. Avalanche F David Jones was a late scratch with the flu.

Phoenix Coyotes (3-3-0) over the Washington Capitals (3-3-1) 2-1

-The Coyotes snapped a three-game losing streak thanks to a solid performance from goalie Mikael Tellqvist. Tellqvist made 31 saves in his first start of the season and the Coyotes rallied after Brooks Laich gave the Caps a 1-0 lead in the 2nd period. RWs Mikkel Boedker and Peter Mueller scored four minutes apart early in the third period for the Coyotes, who are 2-0 at home for the first time since 2000. Caps winger Alexander Semin added an assist on Laich's PPGl and now has 11 points in seven games. Washington's power-play goal snapped the Capitals' 1-for-18 skid with the man advantage.

AROUND THE BOARDS

-Defenseman John Erskine signed a two-year contract extension with the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Erskine could have become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

-Veteran defenseman Bret Hedican has signed a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks. The 38-year-old Hedican had two goals and 15 assists in 66 games with the Hurricanes last season.

-Defenseman Marek Malik has signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 42 games with the New York Rangers last season, he had two goals and 10 points.

-The Nashville Predators have activated forward Nick Tarnasky off Injured Reserve today. Tarnasky, who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning on September 29, has missed the first six games of the regular season due to an injury (not specified).

-Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason has been cleared to resume playing after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Sept. 23. He has been assigned to the Syracuse Crunch (AHL)

- D Theo Peckham has been recalled by the Edmonton Oilers from their AHL affiliate (Springfield Falcons).

GAME OF THE NIGHT

Philadelphia Flyers (0-3-3) @ New Jersey Devils (5-1-0) – 7PM

-These two Atlantic Division rivals square off for the first time this season. New Jersey is coming off a 5-0 shellacking of the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night. The Flyers are coming off a 7-6 SO loss to San Jose on Wednesday night and are still looking for their first win of the season. Devils G Martin Brodeur already has 2 shutouts this season and is inching closer to both Patrick Roy's all-time win record and Terry Sawchuk's shutout record. If Philly doesn't win soon, we could be nearing the end of the John Stevens era on Broad Street.

Other Action:

Anaheim (2-5-0) @ Ottawa (2-3-1) - 7PM

NY Rangers (6-2-1) @ Columbus (3-3-0) – 7PM

San Jose (6-1-0) @ Florida (3-3-0) – 7:30PM

Atlanta (2-2-2) @ Detroit (4-1-1) – 7:30PM

Los Angeles (2-3-0) @ St. Louis (4-2-0) – 8:30PM

^^All times Eastern

**My weekly power rankings, "Plus/Minus" comes out Monday Evenings.

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