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Miller spectacular as Sabres edge Rangers in shootout

Jan 10, 2009 - 4:19 AM BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- The Buffalo Sabres are heating up this month, and it is not difficult to figure out why.

Ryan Miller came through with his best performance of the month yet, making 43 saves before turning away all three attempts he faced in the shootout to carry the Sabres to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Friday.

Ales Kotalik netted the lone goal in the bonus format and Derek Roy scored in regulation for the Sabres, who have won four straight games for the first time since the start of the season despite being outshot in each of those contests.

"I'm just happy to help when I can," Miller said. "We weren't getting shots. It was getting pretty frustrating, but we were playing pretty good on defense. They weren't getting inside. I could see everything but that first goal."

Defenseman Paul Mara tallied and Stephen Valiquette turned aside 32 shots for the Rangers, who have lost six of their last eight contests (2-4-2).

"If we play like this every night, we're happy with the way we're going to finish the season," Valiquette said. "Everybody is a little down we didn't win the shootout tonight, but tomorrow's another big game. It's 82 games. As long as we keep playing this way, we're going to be in a good position."

Miller was dominant throughout in this one, stopping 13 shots in the first period, 14 in the second, 12 in the third and four more in overtime before his heroics in the shootout.

"He played really well for us," Roy said of the netminder. "He obviously made some key saves at key moments in the game when it was 1-0. We turned the puck over a few times and he was rock solid there, and we need that from him. He played really great for us."

Kotalik provided Miller with all the support he needed in the first round, unleashing a quick shot that beat Valiquette to the glove side. Kotalik is 5-for-6 in the bonus format this season.

Miller then stopped Nikolai Zherdev's backhander, forced Markus Naslund to hit the side of the net and denied former Sabres co-captain Chris Drury's attempt to secure the win for Buffalo.

"I kind of figured Drury would be one of those shooters," Miller said. "He might've lost (the puck) a bit. All the guys ended up making backhand moves, which works for me because I want to make them do something other than what they wanted to do."

The Rangers, who fell to 8-2 in shootouts this season, dominated the first two periods of play but cashed in only once. With Colton Orr providing a screen, Mara launched a wrist shot from the high slot that beat Miller with 37 seconds left in the opening session.

"It was one of our most complete games we've played in some time now," Mara said. "We're happy with it, we're happy with the point, but we know we have to come out (on Saturday) and get a huge two points against Ottawa."

Despite being outshot by a 28-13 margin through the first two periods, the Sabres entered the third in a 1-1 tie after Roy converted his own rebound with 3:24 remaining in the second.

New York did not commit a penalty, marking the first time it has accomplished the feat since November 11, 1999 against Washington.