Month: March 2009

MONTREAL – Don’t count the Buffalo Sabres out of the Eastern Conference playoff race just yet.With goaltender Ryan Miller back from injury and a new sense of desperation in their play, the Sabres are looking to hunt down the Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens over their last seven games of the regular season and grab the eighth and final playoff spot

MONTREAL – The Parti Quebecois is suggesting the province’s beleaguered pension-fund manager consider buying the Montreal Canadiens.George Gillett, the team’s majority shareholder, is having financial firms in Canada and elsewhere look at how to maximize his holdings

Sabres 4 at Canadiens 3 (SO)First Period1. Buffalo, Mair 8 (Hecht, Lydman) 17:35Penalties – Lapierre Mtl (boarding) 2:52, Rivet Buf, Kostopoulos Mtl (fighting), Kaleta Buf, Lapierre Mtl (unsportsmanlike) 10:16, Moore Buf, Plekanec Mtl (roughing) 10:56, Kovalev Mtl (delay of game) 15:30, Lydman Buf (slashing) 18:36

Movements in the world of hockey Saturday:National Hockey LeagueWASHINGTON CAPITALS-Assigned F Keith Aucoin, F Oskar Osala and G Simeon Varlamov to Hershey (AHL)

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Joe Pavelski scored a power-play goal early in the third period, Tom Cavanagh netted his first NHL tally, and the San Jose Sharks moved back into first place in the league standings with a 3-2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night

CALGARY – Jamie Lundmark had a goal and an assist, while Eric Nystrom notched the game winner to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night

ST. LOUIS – David Perron scored in the first extra round of the shootout to give the St. Louis Blues a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night

TORONTO – It was a night to remember for three Toronto Maple Leafs players.For another Leaf, it was probably an evening he’d rather forget.The Leafs lost a wild 7-5 affair to the visiting Boston Bruins on Saturday night, but the hosts gave the hometown fans a few things to talk about on the way home

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Chris Minard scored twice and added two assists and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had three third period goals to surge past the Toronto Marlies 5-2 in AHL action Saturday

DALLAS – Stephen Weiss and Nathan Horton each scored in the final minute of the second period, and the Florida Panthers beat the reeling Dallas Stars 6-3 Saturday night

MONTREAL – Tony Lydman scored in the sixth round of a shootout as the Buffalo Sabres helped their late-season playoff drive with a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Danny Briere and Mike Richards scored shootout goals to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to their fourth win in five games, 4-3 over the New York Islanders on Saturday night

NEWARK, N.J. – Tuomo Ruutu scored the deciding goal late in the third period and Cam Ward made 31 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night

ATLANTA – Ilya Kovalchuk would give up all his goals for a shot at the playoffs.That won’t happen this season, but Kovalchuk netted his 40th goal and the Atlanta Thrashers scored three times in less than three minutes of the second period to beat the Ottawa Senators 6-3 on Saturday night

TORONTO – The Boston Bruins appear to be gearing up for a long playoff run.Mark Recchi scored two goals while Dennis Wideman and Matt Hunwick each added three assists Saturday as the Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-5

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Nashville Predators took another step toward their fifth consecutive playoff appearance.Steve Sullivan’s power-play goal 4:41 into overtime gave the Predators a 4-3 comeback win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night

PITTSBURGH – It took Sidney Crosby almost 50 minutes and his team-high seventh shot to extend the longest active scoring streak in the NHL. It was worth the wait for the Pittsburgh Penguins

National Hockey LeagueATLANTA THRASHERS-Recalled G Dan Turple from Chicago (AHL).COLORADO AVALANCHE-Signed F Ryan Stoa and F Cedric McNicoll

Maple Leafs 3 at Sabres 5First Period1. Buffalo, Hecht 10 (Gaustad, Kaleta) 0:372. Buffalo, Connolly 15 (Pominville, Tallinder) 9:39Penalty – Kaleta Buf (charging) 13:48