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Coyotes-Sabres Preview

Oct 8, 2009 - 5:20 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Phoenix (1-0-0) at Buffalo (0-0-1), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The Phoenix Coyotes have found the best way to forget a troublesome offseason - getting back on the ice.

Off to a surprising start, the Coyotes will try to match their best start in six years Thursday night against the host Buffalo Sabres.

Phoenix (2-0-0) pulled off one of the more shocking results of the early season with Wednesday night's 3-0 win at defending champion Pittsburgh.

Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 24 shots for his ninth career shutout. Ed Jovanovski and Petr Prucha had power-play goals in the first two periods with Prucha scoring while on top of a Penguins player.

"I was just waiting for a rebound or a tap-in in front of the net and I fell down," Prucha said. "(Radim Vrbata) tried to score from the goal line, and I just took the rebound."

Vrbata added his team-best third goal on an empty netter and his first assist of the season on Prucha's score.

"Facing the defending Stanley Cup champions, it was a big challenge for us and I think we played well," Bryzgalov said. "It's a good turning point for us. The team has confidence right now."

The events leading into this season should have inspired anything but that for the franchise.

After missing the playoffs for a team-record sixth straight season, the Coyotes entered bankruptcy protection in May and their future remains up in the air.

A judge rejected bids from the NHL and Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie to buy the franchise on Sept. 30. Balsillie, who had planned to move the team to Ontario, said he would not appeal the ruling, but the league could try again to purchase the Coyotes.

"We are reviewing the opinion and considering how we can best address the court's concerns regarding our offer to purchase the Coyotes," deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. "It remains our goal to secure the long-term stability of the Coyotes in Glendale."

The team's coach, NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, also resigned nine days before the start of this season, and Dave Tippett was hired as Gretzky's replacement hours later.

Phoenix has outscored its first two opponents on a three-game road trip 9-3, and Tippett will try to lead the Coyotes to their first 3-0 start since 2003-04.

After barely missing the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, the Sabres failed to get an extra point in their season opener, Saturday night's 2-1 overtime loss to visiting Montreal.

Tim Connolly gave Buffalo (0-0-1) the lead 2:40 into the game, but the Sabres allowed a short-handed goal in the second period.

Despite outshooting the Canadiens 35-17, the Sabres suffered the loss when Scott Gomez's shot bounced off the end boards to Brian Gionta, who tapped it in behind Ryan Miller.

"We didn't give up much, but we had some opportunities that we didn't take advantage of," coach Lindy Ruff said. "They tried to hang around and they got the bounce they wanted."

The Sabres won both meetings last season by a 7-1 margin, with Connolly tallying three goals and two assists. Phoenix, however, is 5-1-0 in Buffalo since Feb. 23, 2001.