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Miller, Sabres edge Rangers

Mar 2, 2011 - 5:44 AM New York, NY (Sports Network) - Ryan Miller was strong with 29 saves and helped the Buffalo Sabres defeat the New York Rangers, 3-2, at Madison Square Garden.

Tyler Myers, Brad Boyes and Jochen Hecht scored for the Sabres, who have won three of their last four games and will continue their seven-game road trip in Raleigh against the Hurricanes on Thursday.

"Just keep grinding," Miller said. "This road trip is about the game we're going to play the day of the game."

Artem Anisimov and Erik Christensen tallied for the Rangers, who have dropped two straight and four of their last six contests overall.

Henrik Lundqvist allowed three goals on 26 shots in the loss.

The only goal of the opening period was Myers' 10th of the season, which was scored on the power play with 2:45 remaining.

At the 13-minute mark of the second stanza, the Sabres moved ahead by two courtesy of Boyes' power-play tally. A blind backhand pass by Paul Gaustad from the right side of the crease crossed the goal mouth before Boyes, from near the left post, swiped it along the ice and into the back of the cage.

But the Rangers sliced their deficit in half with a power-play goal of their own just 45 seconds later. With Mike Weber off for kneeing, Christensen's shot from above the right circle was never seen by Miller, who was completely screened in front by Ryan Callahan. The goal judge didn't see the puck either, as the light never went on, but the referees quickly skated in and signaled the tally, Christensen's ninth of the season.

Hecht's goal 4:45 into the third saw the Sabres regain their two-goal advantage. Andrej Sekera, from atop the left circle, wound up as if to shoot but instead sent a pass into the low slot for a textbook redirection by Hecht, who was all alone and scored for the 11th time this season.

New York quickly drew within 3-2 only 1:20 later. With Miller laying on the ice during a scramble, Anisimov gained control in the low slot and easily lit the lamp with a high wrist shot at the 6:05 mark.

The Rangers had several chances down the stretch and pulled their netminder for the extra attacker in the final minute-plus, but Miller held tight and the Sabres defense corps used several clears to seal the victory.

"We had many opportunities in the third but we can't get that next goal," said Rangers head coach John Tortorella. "We will keep on working on it until we do."

Game Notes

New York defenseman Marc Staal (knee) did not play...The Rangers were 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Sabres converted two of their three chances with the extra skater...New York fell to 14-15-3 on home ice this season.