Senators convincingly defeat Buffalo in opener

Right winger Maxim Afinogenov of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates after scoring a goal against the Ottawa Senators in the first period of the first game of their NHL Eastern Conference final series on Thursday. Ottawa went on to win 5-2. PHOTO: AP

The Ottawa Senators posted a convincing 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday in the opening game of the NHL Eastern Conference finals.

Oleg Saprykin snapped a tie at 7:41 of the third session and Jason Spezza added insurance with a power-play goal in the latter minutes as the Senators took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series for a berth in the Stanley Cup finals.

Dean McAmmond and captain Daniel Alfredsson each recorded a goal and an assist for Ottawa, which hopes to take a two-game lead in the series today in Game 2.

Despite scoring a league-high 308 goals during the regular season and winning the Presidents' Trophy for the first time in franchise history, the Sabres had all kinds of trouble with the Senators, who won five of the eight meetings between the teams.

With a chance to avenge last year's five-game loss to Buffalo in the conference semi-finals, the Senators showed why they were second in the NHL in scoring (288 goals) and finished just eight points behind their Northeast Division rival in this one.

After squandering an early 2-0 lead, the Senators moved ahead for good at 7:41 of the third period on Saprykin's first point of the postseason.

A healthy scratch for the first three games of the conference quarter-finals, Saprykin failed to get on the scoresheet over Ottawa's next seven playoff contests.

But after McAmmond intercepted Buffalo defenseman Teppo Numminen's clearing attempt, the Russian deflected a pass past goalie Ryan Miller for a 3-2 edge.

Following an untimely tripping penalty on Buffalo's Derek Roy, Spezza made it a two-goal advantage with his sixth goal of the postseason, banging a loose puck by Miller from in front with 4:12 remaining.

McAmmond sealed the win with an empty-netter in the final seconds.

The Senators' special teams played well early. Mike Fisher scored a shorthanded goal just more than four minutes into the game and Alfredsson put in a power-play tally less than four minutes later.

Buffalo got on the scoreboard just three minutes later, as Maxim Afinogenov buried a rebound from the left side of the net.

The Sabres pulled even midway through the second on a goal by Toni Lydman.