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Miller, Sabres turn away Hurricanes

Jan 14, 2011 - 5:57 AM Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Ryan Miller made 27 saves and Thomas Vanek set up two goals, helping the Buffalo Sabres to a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Nathan Gerbe, Cody McCormick, and Drew Stafford scored for the Sabres, who have won three of four.

Jeff Skinner scored in the final minute to get the Hurricanes within a goal, but they couldn't net the equalizer and had their three-game win streak broken.

Tuomo Ruutu also lit the lamp for Carolina, while Cam Ward stopped 32-of-35 shots.

"It's never an easy game when you come into Buffalo," Ward said. "They're a solid team and tonight could have gone either way; we just came up short."

Buffalo got on the board with 5:22 left in the opening period, just after a Carolina power play ended. Vanek followed the play into the Hurricanes' zone and picked up the puck behind the goal line. He then passed to the slot for Gerbe, who one-timed a shot by Ward.

But the Hurricanes took advantage of a power play shortly into the second period to tie the game. From the right point, Eric Staal blasted a shot that Ruutu tipped by Miller at 5:09.

The Sabres answered nearly seven minutes later, when McCormick stuffed in the rebound of a Jordan Leopold shot from the point, and carried the 2-1 edge into the second intermission.

Buffalo picked up the decisive goal 3:26 into the third while on the power play. From the right boards, Vanek centered a trailing pass for Stafford, who beat Ward with a high wrist shot.

The Sabres held the two-goal margin until Skinner buried his 15th goal of the season with 32 seconds to play. Carolina continued to pressure, but Miller held steady for his fourth win this month.

"We were smarter, we were more patient and we gained momentum as we went on," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said.

Game Notes

Thursday's contest was the first of four meetings this season. The teams split the series in 2009-10...Both teams play again Saturday. Carolina hosts Tampa Bay, while Buffalo visits the New York Islanders.