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Kapanen, Coyotes blast woeful Sabres

Jan 22, 2008 - 1:27 AM By Bob Huhn PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- The Buffalo Sabres' road futility has reached a new low.

Niko Kapanen sparked a three-goal second period as the Phoenix Coyotes posted a 6-2 victory over the Sabres on Monday.

Captain Shane Doan and rookie Peter Mueller added a goal and assist apiece for Phoenix, which snapped a two-game home losing streak.

Paul Gaustad and Drew Stafford tallied for the Sabres, who endured a franchise-record eighth straight loss away from home. Buffalo is in the midst of a seven-game road trip.

"There has been times where we haven't handled adversity in a game, whether it has been bad goals, tough calls or poor penalty-killing," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "There is frustration that builds up in a game, and when you have been riding the type of streak we have been riding, you expect some of that to be there."

The Coyotes took an early lead as Daniel Winnik beat goaltender Jocelyn Thibault with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle on a 3-on-2 rush just 54 seconds into the game.

From that point on, the goals just kept coming as the Coyotes broke open a tie game with three tallies in a 5 1/2-minute span in the second period.

"One of our problems all year has been we haven't had real good starts at home, so tonight, getting the first goal was a real positive," Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky said. "We got a little bit lucky with that second goal, but we knew Buffalo wouldn't quit. We were able to keep up the pressure."

With the Coyotes on the power play, Kapanen intercepted a pass by Sabres defenseman Toni Lydman in front of the net. He wristed a shot that caromed off Thibault's glove, into the air and into the net at 1:57 of the middle session, giving Phoenix a 2-1 advantage.

The Coyotes extended the lead just over three minutes later as Doan wristed a shot just inside the right goalpost for a 3-1 bulge. With the goal, Doan extended his points streak to a career-high 11 games.

"In the first period, we sat back a little more than we liked," Doan said. "They kind of took it to us late in that period. We could feel their energy pick up, so we had to answer. It was big for us to get that goal right away in the second, then to add on."

The onslaught continued as defenseman Derek Morris blasted a shot from the right point that found its way between Thibault's legs with 12 1/2 minutes left in the period, increasing the lead to 4-1.

"We got some good momentum going and played smart that period," Morris said. "We had a lot of people contributing, and as long as we are winning the right way, playing smart like today, we will go a long way."

After Stafford cut the deficit to 4-2 at 1:51 of the final period, Mueller scored on a breakaway with 2:57 remaining. All-Star defenseman Ed Jovanovski capped the scoring with a power-play tally from the point with 1:52 left.

Trailing, 1-0, Buffalo tied the game midway through the opening period. Daniel Paille's blast from the right circle was stopped by netminder Ilya Bryzgalov, but the rebound was tapped in by Gaustad at 10:54.

Facing the Sabres for the first time in his career, Bryzgalov stopped 19 shots.

Thibault - who was filling in for starter Ryan Miller - stopped 27 shots for Buffalo, which has lost 12 of its last 13 games overall.

"We have to stick together and keep playing our system," Gaustad said. "In that second period, we sat back. They came hard and we made some mistakes. We're not happy in here, and every guy has to look at the mirror and find a way to be better."