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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Things are much brighter this year for
Dominik Hasek, Chris Gratton and the rest of the Buffalo Sabres.
Gratton, who was in Tampa Bay a year ago, scored what proved to
be the winning goal in the Sabres' 5-4 victory Friday night over
the Montreal Canadiens. Hasek, injured at this time last year,
stopped 31 shots, including a penalty shot midway through the third
period.
|  | | Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek stopped 31 shots against the Canadiens on Friday. |
"That was a game that last year we would have found a way to
lose," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "We found enough offense to
win."
Buffalo blew a 3-0 lead as Craig Darby tied it 3-3 with 16:20 to
play.
Miroslav Satan snapped the tie with 11:44 left and Hasek stopped
the penalty shot by Dainius Zubrus less than a minute later.
Gratton gave the Sabres a 5-3 lead with 7:16 remaining before
Karl Dykhuis brought Montreal within one, scoring his second goal
of the game with 1:48 left.
"We battled extremely well to come back in the game,"
Canadiens coach Alain Vigneault said. "It's the same story the
last four or five games. We outplay the opposition but the results
aren't on our side."
The win kept the Sabres undefeated (5-0-1) this season at home.
"It came too easy too quick for us," Ruff said. "From start
to finish, they basically outplayed us."
Vladimir Tsyplakov gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead 36 seconds in, and
defensemen Alexei Zhitnik and Dmitri Kalinin scored power-play
goals later in the period to put the Sabres up 3-0.
Martin Rucinsky and Dykhuis scored in the second period for
Montreal, which is winless on the road (0-4-1).
Gratton, who scored all four of his goals in the last six games,
buried a slap shot from the right circle.
"The first five games, I was shooting and it seemed the net was
as small as a mousehole," Gratton said. "You get a couple of
bounces and our line gets confidence."
The first-period goals by Zhitnik and Kalinin came during a
double-minor penalty to Enrico Ciccone. After allowing three goals
on five shots, Jose Theodore was replaced by Mathieu Garon, a
rookie making his second NHL appearance.
"It was like two games," said Garon, who made eight saves.
"The first part we lost 3-0 and the second part we won 3-2."
The Sabres relaxed after grabbing the early advantage.
"We were probably too satisfied after leading 3-0," Satan
said. "Giving up a 3-0 lead isn't something that should happen in
the NHL. We did that and had to find another way to win the
game."
Game notes
Buffalo's start at home is their longest undefeated streak
to begin a season since going 13-0-1 in the 1989-90 campaign. ...
The Sabres have scored 11 power-play goals in 11 games. Last
season, Buffalo didn't score its 11th until the 21st game. ...
Zhitnik has a goal and two assists in two games after serving a
four-game suspension. ... Doug Gilmour's assist on Gratton's goal
gave him 891 assists, tying Dale Hawerchuk for 13th on the NHL's
career list. ... Garon played for the first time since his NHL
debut, a relief stint, on Oct. 6. ... Hasek has stopped five of
eight career penalty shots. ... Sabres center Stu Barnes slightly
sprained his groin and will miss Saturday's game at Philadelphia.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Montreal Clubhouse
Buffalo Clubhouse
RECAPS
Buffalo 5
Montreal 4
Chicago 6
Detroit 1
Tampa Bay 4
NY Islanders 3
Colorado 5
Carolina 3
Edmonton 3
Minnesota 0
Dallas 2
Phoenix 2
Pittsburgh 4
Vancouver 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Dominik Hasek denies Dainius Zubrus on the penalty shot.
avi: 643 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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