Maxim Afinogenov scored to spark a three-goal third period that lifted the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.
Chris Drury and Ales Kotalik had a goal and assist apiece, and Alexei Zhitnik also scored for the Sabres. Martin Biron stopped 29 shots to help Buffalo rally from a 1-0 deficit and win for just the sixth time this season.
"It's a win, that's all it is," Biron said. "You can play a great game and lose. To play a great game and win, that's what you've got to do in this league to be able to keep going."
PHOTO: REUTERS
Saku Koivu scored for the Canadiens, who have lost three straight for only the third time this season. It was also Montreal's sixth consecutive loss at Buffalo.
"The turning point was Martin Biron making the big saves," Julien said. "If we score on those, it's a different story."
Devils 4, Blue Jackets 3
In Columbus, Ohio, Grant Marshall scored in his first game against his former team and Patrik Elias added a goal and an assist in New Jersey's victory over Columbus.
Sergei Brylin added a goal, and Martin Brodeur stopped 28 shots as New Jersey won its third in a row. Brian Gionta also scored, into an empty net.
Rick Nash scored his NHL-leading 31st goal and added an assist for the Blue Jackets.
Brad Moran, called up from the minors earlier in the day, had the first goal and first assist of his NHL career.
Bruins 2, Islanders 2
In Uniondale, New York, P.J. Axelsson's goal with 1:57 left in regulation lifted Boston into a tie with New York.
Trent Hunter scored twice for the Islanders, and Rick DiPietro stopped 35 shots. It was the first time this season an Islanders home game reached overtime. New York moved five points ahead of both the New York Rangers and Atlanta for eighth place in the Eastern Conference -- the playoff cutoff.
Glen Murray also scored for the Bruins, and Felix Potvin turned aside 26 shots.
Hurricanes 2, Maple Leafs 0
In Toronto, Kevin Weekes made 32 saves for his sixth shutout of the season and Erik Cole scored a short-handed goal as Carolina beat Toronto.
Weekes has the second most shutouts in the NHL this season, four fewer than New Jersey's Martin Brodeur. Weekes, who has 19 career shutouts, is 17-7-7 this season and is the only goalie to win a game for the Hurricanes.
Josef Vasicek also scored for the Hurricanes, who have won just two of their last six games.
Lightning 6, Penguins 2
In Pittsburgh, Pavel Kubina scored two power-play goals 54 seconds apart, Cory Stillman added two goals during Tampa Bay's four-goal third period, and the Lightning ran Pittsburgh's home losing streak to a club-record eight games.
The game was the first in the NHL in more than two seasons with multiple penalty shots -- both unsuccessful. Penguins rookie Marc-Andre Fleury smothered Dan Boyle's shot, and Brian Holzinger shot high and wide.
The Penguins have been outscored 40-8 during their longest single-season home losing streak.
Fredrik Modin had a goal and two assists, and Brad Richards had three assists for the Lightning.
Avalanche 3, Oilers 1
In Denver, Peter Forsberg scored two goals for the second straight game since returning from a groin injury as Colorado beat Edmonton.
David Aebischer made 33 saves and recorded an assist on one of Forsberg's goals. Edmonton rookie goalie Ty Conklin had 19 saves.
Steve Konowalchuk had the other Colorado goal, and Radek Dvorak scored for Edmonton.
Colorado, the Western Conference points leader, is 12-1-1-1 in its last 15 games. Edmonton has lost three straight.
Flames 2, Coyotes 1
In Glendale, Arizona, Shean Donovan beat Sean Burke and Phoenix on a penalty shot with 2:08 remaining, the Calgary forward's second successful attempt of the season. Donovan was awarded the penalty shot after he was pulled down from behind by Phoenix defenseman Ossi Vaananen, who had slipped and lost the puck to the Calgary forward. Donovan, who has 16 goals this season, also scored on a penalty shot Dec. 2 against San Jose.
Jarome Iginla added his 19th goal to help Calgary beat Phoenix for the third straight time. Phoenix was held to a season-low 12 shots on goal, with only Daymond Langkow beating goalie Roman Turek.
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38
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