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Sabres cool down red-hot Vancouver in 4-3 shootout

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, top, makes a shootout save on a shot by the Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Kesler during their NHL hockey game at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York, on Friday. The Sabres won 4-3. PHOTO: AP

Ales Kotalik scored the decisive goal in the shootout as the Buffalo Sabres cooled off the red-hot Vancouver Canucks 4-3 on Friday in Buffalo.

The Canucks had won six straight road games before Friday's matchup, and a recent run of victories had pushed them into first place in the Northwest Division standings.

The Eastern Conference leading Sabres hit the 70-point mark with the win, with Ryan Miller making 25 saves and then stopping three of four shootout shots.

Jason Pominville opened the scoring for the Sabres in the first period before the Canucks hit back twice in the second through Taylor Pyatt and Jan Bulis.

Paul Gaustad tied things up early in the third but Markus Nasland looked to have given Vancouver the win in regulation with his 15th goal of the season.

However, Buffalo's Chris Drury scored with 39.1 seconds left to force overtime and netminder Miller came up big in the shootout to ensure the win for the Sabres.

Wild 3, Blackhawks 0

At Chicago, Manny Fernandez stopped 24 shots for his second shutout Marian Gaborik scored twice to lead Minnesota.

Stephane Veilleux also scored for the Wild, who handed the Blackhawks their eighth consecutive loss.

The Wild posted a franchise-record fourth straight road win. Minnesota has also won four of its last five overall.

Gaborik extended his point-scoring streak to five games, with seven goals and an assist during the span. Friday's game was his seventh after missing 34 with a strained groin.

Blue Jackets 3, Red Wings 1

At Columbus, Ohio, Dan Fritsche, Alexander Svitov and Adam Foote scored goals and Fredrik Norrena made 41 saves for Columbus.

The Blue Jackets, 24th in the NHL on the power play, scored twice in eight chances while the Red Wings were 0-for-6.

With the Red Wings trailing 2-1 and buzzing the net late in the game, Foote provided the insurance goal when his blast from the point hit Detroit defenseman Chris Chelios' leg and slipped past a surprised Dominik Hasek.

Johan Franzen scored at the 4:53 mark of the third to end Norrena's shutout. The Red Wings, down 2-0 at the time, own the longest streak of consecutive games without a shutout in the NHL at 169 games.

Flames 3, Ducks 2

At Calgary, Alberta, Dion Phaneuf and Alex Tanguay scored in the first period and Calgary held on for their sixth straight win against Anaheim.

Stephane Yelle scored the eventual game-winner near the midpoint of the second period to push Calgary's lead to 3-0. Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 22 shots to help the Flames win their fifth straight at home, where they are a league-best 19-5.

All-star captains

Colorado Avalanche forward Joe Sakic and Brendan Shanahan of the New York Rangers were named captains on Thursday for the NHL All-Star game.

Sakic will be making his 12th appearance in the game when he leads the Western Conference team onto the ice in Dallas next Wednesday.

Shanahan, who will captain the Eastern Conference, will be skating in his eighth All-Star contest.
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