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Vanek helps Sabres top Bruins in Boston

Jan 21, 2011 - 3:39 AM Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Thomas Vanek notched the winner early in the third period and Ryan Miller stopped 38 shots as Buffalo downed Boston, 4-2, at TD Garden.

Jason Pominville, Nathan Gerbe and Cody McCormick also tallied for the Sabres, who have won two in a row and five of seven.

Dennis Seidenberg and Gregory Campbell scored for the Bruins, who had won five of six coming in. Tuukka Rask yielded four goals on 33 shots.

Vanek put Buffalo on top 3-2, at 5:13 of the third period when he gathered a loose puck in the neutral zone, came down the right wing with Tim Connolly, and ripped a shot from the right circle.

It was a two-goal edge for the visitors with 3:20 remaining when Pominville's cross-ice pass from the left wing hit Rask and veered over the goal line.

The Bruins pulled Rask with 1:56 to play and then skated 6-on-4 after Paul Gaustad was sent off for cross checking inside the final minute. Miller was only challenged by a Lucic tip seconds later and Buffalo hung on until the buzzer.

Miller came up big to prevent Nathan Horton from shooting on a breakaway five minutes into the game, but was powerless to stop a Seidenberg drive with 8:59 to play in the first period.

McCormick evened the game at 1:04 of the second period when he followed up his initial post-ringer and beat Thomas low along the ice, but Campbell struck for Boston at 4:51 on a wrister from the slot after a touch-pass from Shawn Thornton.

Buffalo knotted the score via the power play at 10:36 when Tyler Myers dished to the left wing for Gerbe, who lifted a shot over Thomas.

Game Notes

The Sabres have won three of five from the Bruins this season...Boston fell to 18-2-3 this season when scoring first...Boston forward Marc Savard is one shy of 500 career assists after his primary helper on Seidenberg's goal.