• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Heatley dominant as Senators roll past Sabres

Jan 4, 2007 - 5:03 AM OTTAWA (Ticker) -- The Buffalo Sabres have not had trouble with many opponents this season. Dany Heatley and the Ottawa Senators are exceptions.

Heatley recorded his third hat trick of the season and added an assist and newcomer Mike Comrie set up a pair of goals as the Ottawa Senators extended their winning streak over the Sabres to four games with a 6-3 victory.

After dropping the first meeting of the season, the Senators won the next three matchups between the teams, outscoring the Sabres, 11-4. Heatley had been a main contributor for Ottawa, collecting two goals and six assists in the four contests.

The 2002 Calder Trophy winner continued his excellence against Buffalo on Wednesday, scoring an even-strength goal, a power-play tally and a shorthander in the second period as Ottawa built a 4-0 lead.

"It was fun, but we got the win," said Heatley, who ended a five-game goal-scoring drought. "You're working hard the last four or five games and the puck's not bouncing for you, but that's how the game works. They all catch up sometimes."

It was the sixth career hat trick for Heatley, who also set up defenseman Tom Preissing's man-advantage goal in the middle session.

Acquired from Phoenix earlier in the day, Comrie also assisted on Preissing's tally as well as one by blue-liner Wade Redden in the third.

"We had help with the airlines and the people who manage travel here to get me here quickly," Comrie said. "At first, I played a little tentatively. But once we started making plays out there, I was fine. The players play at an elite level out here. The scariest part is that the team is missing some key players."

The Sabres (29-8-3) have suffered half their regulation losses to the Senators.

"Heater caught fire, and that was the difference in the hockey game," said Ottawa netminder Ray Emery, who made 33 saves. "We really respect Buffalo as a team. We know a lot about their tendencies and I'm sure they know what we're all about. They are always good matchups and we really come to play them because we know we have to be at our best to be able to win against them."

"We knocked them out in the playoffs last year and they're playing with a chip on their shoulder," Buffalo's Paul Gaustad said. "With us, we need to respond like that. We're two teams who don't like each other and they are playing a little bit harder than we are right now. We can't take any periods off against this team, especially with how much offense they have."

Peter Schaefer also scored and defenseman Andrej Meszaros added two assists for Ottawa, which has earned at least a point in six straight games (5-0-1).

Maxim Afinogenov and Jason Pominville each netted their 19th goal for the Sabres, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.

After a scoreless first period, Heatley broke through with teammate Daniel Alfredsson serving a hooking penalty. Driving down the left side against defenseman Brian Campbell, Heatley had his first shot blocked before whacking at the puck and sending it just under the crossbar at 4:53 for a 1-0 lead.

"It was very lucky," Heatley said. "We were just trying to get a break and a shot on net. The puck just bounced right back to me, and I got a little lucky."

Heatley buried a rebound from the right side at 10:12 and, after setting up Preissing on the doorstep for the first power-play goal allowed by Buffalo in 20 opportunities, pushed the puck toward the crease from the left side of the net. Blue-liner Teppo Numminen inadvertently knocked it past goaltender Ryan Miller with 3 1/2 minutes to go in the second, giving Heatley his 23rd tally and Ottawa a 4-0 bulge.

"They clicked on their power plays and they scored four second-period goals, so right there, that kind of chilled us," Sabres co-captain Daniel Briere said. "We weren't able to pick ourselves up from those bad bounces. ... They got confidence and continued to play better."

Gaustad got the Sabres on the board at 4:55 of the third, but Schaefer scored on a breakaway less than two minutes later and Redden blasted a shot by Miller with 6:45 remaining to put the Senators ahead, 6-1.

Preissing added an assist for Ottawa, which evened its home record at 9-9-1.