NHL roundup
Red-hot Sabres improve to 8-0 BOSTON (AP) – Chris Drury scored two power-play goals and the Buffalo Sabres improved to 8-0 to match their franchise best start, beating the Boston Bruins 6-2 on Saturday night.
Jason Pominville and Maxim Afinogenov scored 1:39 apart early in the second period to open a 4-1 lead for the Sabres, who matched the 1975 club record for consecutive victories to start a season. Buffalo has also won a franchise-record 13 straight in the regular season.
Thrashers 4, Panthers 2
ATLANTA – Marian Hossa scored two more goals, Ilya Kovalchuk finally got one in regulation and Atlanta kept up the best start in franchise history.
J.P. Vigier also scored and Kari Lehtonen turned aside 18 shots in the Thrashers’ sixth win in the first eight games.
Islanders 4, Hurricanes 3
UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Tom Poti scored New York’s third power-play goal 23 seconds into overtime, capping the Islanders’ rally over Carolina.
Poti, a defenseman who assisted on two other goals, snapped a shot from inside the blue line that passed through a screen by Mike Sillinger and found the net behind John Grahame. It gave Rick DiPietro his first win of the season following a four-game layoff due to a groin injury.
Canadiens 8, Avalanche 5
MONTREAL – Sheldon Souray had two goals and two assists and Chris Higgins scored Montreal’s fourth power-play goal midway through the third, leading the Canadiens over Colorado.
Lightning 6, Capitals 4
WASHINGTON – Martin St. Louis and Nikita Alexeev scored 22 seconds apart during a three-goal second period that carried Tampa Bay past Washington.
Rangers 5, Leafs 4
TORONTO – Brendan Shanahan scored the only goal of the shootout after getting his eighth goal of the season in regulation to lead New York over Toronto.
Senators 8, Devils 1
OTTAWA – Antoine Vermette and Dean McAmmond scored two goals apiece to help Ottawa get its first win in six homes games this season. Jason Spezza added a goal and two assists, for the Senators, 1-5-0 at home and 3-4-0 overall.
Ray Emery made 34 saves for his second win of the season, while New Jersey star Martin Brodeur allowed six goals on 26 shots before being replaced by Scott Clemmensen midway through the second period. Clemmensen gave up two goals on 12 shots.
Brian Gionta scored the lone goal for the Devils.