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Buffalo halts Ottawa's win streak

Mar 14, 2011 - 3:19 AM Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Tyler Ennis scored a pair of goals and Mike Weber picked up three assists as Buffalo upended Ottawa, 6-4, at HSBC Arena.

Thomas Vanek and Paul Gaustad posted a goal and assist each for the Sabres, who have won four of their last six and pulled into a tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with the idle Rangers. Both teams have 76 points.

Jhonas Enroth did well enough to earn the win, stopping 34-of-38 shots.

Prior to the game, the Sabres confirmed that franchise great Rick Martin died at the age of 59, reportedly after suffering a heart attack while driving.

"Obviously a sad day, but I told the team [Martin] would want us to go out and win one and he'd want us to go out an have some fun during the game," said Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff. "It was nice we could win one for Rico."

Jason Spezza tied a season-high of four points on two goals and two helpers for the Senators, whose three-game win streak came to an end. Erik Karlsson and Colin Greening also tallied in defeat.

"We gave them too many quality scoring chances and not enough stops on the other side," said Spezza.

Curtis McElhinney was charged in the loss for two goals on 16 shots in relief of starter Craig Anderson, who was dented for four scores on 17 shots in 22- plus minutes.

Ennis beat Anderson just under the crossbar from a sharp angle in the right circle for a 3-2 game at 1:37 of the second period, then Gaustad converted a rebound to give Buffalo a two-goal edge 33 seconds later.

Spezza banked a shot from behind the net off Buffalo center Rob Niedermayer and in at 9:39, but Nathan Gerbe's blast from the left wing sailed over McElhinney's glove for a 5-3 Sabres lead just under five minutes later.

A cross-ice pass from Brad Boyes intended for Jason Pominville at the right side of the crease instead slid through traffic and upped Buffalo's lead to 6-3 on a power play at 8:16 of the third period.

The only answer Ottawa had was a Karlsson wrister with 45 seconds remaining, and the Sens were unable to get an extra attacker on the ice for the rest of the contest.

Ennis put the Sabres on the board, with a slam-dunk off a Tim Connolly dish at 5:40 of the opening period, but Spezza answered on the power play at 8:52.

Vanek broke in alone and beat Anderson through the pads at 12:26 to restore Buffalo's one-goal edge, but Ottawa rebounded on a Greening tally through Enroth's pads less than six minutes later.

Game Notes

Buffalo won five of six from Ottawa this season...Martin was the fifth-overall pick of the Sabres in 1971 and totaled 382 goals and 695 points in 681 games from 1971-80...Spezza posted a goal and three assists during a 4-1 win over the Islanders on November 4.