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Conklin, Blues shut out Sabres

Feb 19, 2011 - 5:01 AM Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Ty Conklin stopped 25 shots for his second shutout of the season and the Blues finally won back-to-back games with a 3-0 triumph over Buffalo.

The result brought an end to a pair of long-standing streaks for both teams. St. Louis hadn't won two straight since a five-game run from December 21-31, while the Sabres were dealt their first two-game skid since late December.

T.J. Oshie, David Backes and Vladimir Sobotka scored for the Blues, who have posted seven victories in their last 10 games in Buffalo. Conklin, starting in place of an injured Jaroslav Halak (right hand), recorded his 16th career shutout. He also improved to 7-1 with a 1.49 goals-against average in his career against Buffalo.

"I thought the most important part of his game was getting the whistles," Blues coach Davis Payne said. "He recognized the opportunities to stop the momentum of the play in the zone."

Ryan Miller made 21 saves for the Sabres, who have lost back-to-back contests for the first time since December 23 and 27 against Florida and Calgary. Buffalo, which was coming off a 2-1 defeat to Toronto in the opener of a six-game, 11-day homestand, has dropped three in a row at HSBC Arena.

Both teams made news off the ice Friday. The Blues made a move to revamp their roster, shipping defenseman and team captain Eric Brewer to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a prospect and a third-round pick in the upcoming draft.

Also, the NHL board of governors reportedly approved Terry Pegula's purchase of the Sabres. An announcement was possible at the conclusion of tonight's game. Tom Golisano reached an agreement to sell the team and its related companies to the billionaire Pegula, the founder and former chief executive of East Resources, earlier this month.

"It's frustrating. We have a homestand here to get points, make an even better push to get in the playoffs," Sabres left wing Thomas Vanek said. "We have to forget about them and start winning again."

The Sabres are currently on the outside looking in at the postseason picture, in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with 60 points, four behind No. 8 seed Carolina.

Conklin stopped seven shots and Miller made nine saves in a scoreless first period, but Oshie lit the lamp 2:47 into the second depositing a loose puck in front under the blocker of Miller.

Sabres defenseman Mike Weber went off for tripping late in the second and the Blues capitalized on the power play. Backes' shot from above the left circle changed direction on the way to the net as the puck hit off Buffalo's Tyler Myers and whizzed past Miller.

Patrick Kaleta caught iron with a shot for the Sabres 5 1/2 minutes into the third, and Sobotka added an empty-netter with 68 seconds remaining.

Game Notes

The Blues have four power-play goals in their last three games...St. Louis is 7-1-0 at Buffalo since 1998-99...St. Louis defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo left the ice gingerly early in the third after his facemask collided with the helmet of Kaleta on a hard check behind the Blues net.