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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- Even when Dominik Hasek isn't at full
strength, you have to be nearly perfect to get a puck in the net.
The Edmonton Oilers pulled off just the right play as Bill
Guerin scored with 2:02 left to lift the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-2
victory Friday night over the Buffalo Sabres.
|  | | Jason Smith sends Buffalo's Stu Barnes into the boards Friday. |
"We found a way to get to him," Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish
said. "But it had to be absolutely tic-tac-toe passing."
Guerin took a short pass from Ryan Smyth while cutting alone
toward the net and backhanded a shot over Hasek, who returned after
missing one game with a knee injury.
"It's always tough getting the puck by him," Guerin said. "We
knew we had to bear down and get the puck to the net."
The goal came less than a minute after Dave Andreychuk tied it
2-2 for the Sabres, putting home a rebound after Tommy Salo stopped
Maxim Afinogenov's shot.
Smyth, who finished with a goal and two assists, gave the Oilers
a 2-1 lead at 13:58 of the third. He executed a perfect give-and-go
with Guerin, redirecting Guerin's return feed into an open net.
"Smitty did a great job squeezing by the guy against the wall
and driving the net," Guerin said. "I'm not known for my passing
abilities."
Doug Weight also scored for the Oilers.
Curtis Brown had the other goal for the Sabres.
Brown gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead 4:35 in. Salo stopped Alexei
Zhitnik's shot, but Brown was there to tap the rebound under the
goalie's pads.
Weight tied it less than two minutes later. With Hasek pressed
tight against the post, Smyth took a few whacks at the puck before
it squirted loose for Weight, who swooped in and scored.
The line of Smyth, Guerin and Weight has combined for 17 points
in five games this season.
"We're playing as a unit out there," Smyth said. "We're not
being selfish. We're going hard to the net and we're being
creative."
Edmonton had several good opportunities to take the lead in the
second period, but Hasek made 16 saves, including several from
point-blank range with the Sabres down two men for 1:30.
He finished with 34 saves.
"Dom played fabulous," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "He kept
us in the game."
Even with that, the Sabres couldn't get the offense going.
"We were too much on the perimeter," Ruff said. "We didn't
generate many shots. Lots of good zone time, but nobody wanted to
shoot the puck. And when we did shoot it, they blocked it."
Game notes
Hasek had just 12 minutes of ice time going into the game
after hurting his knee in Buffalo's season opener on Oct. 5. ...
The Oilers were 0-for-6 on the power play and are 1-for-26 this
season.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Buffalo Clubhouse
Edmonton Clubhouse
RECAPS
Ottawa 3
New Jersey 1
Carolina 2
Florida 2
Pittsburgh 3
Tampa Bay 2
Nashville 3
Washington 1
St. Louis 2
Minnesota 0
Edmonton 3
Buffalo 2
Los Angeles 5
Boston 0
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