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Avalanche-Sabres Preview

Jan 9, 2010 - 4:57 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Colorado (24-14-6) at Buffalo (27-11-4), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Ryan Miller is the face of the Buffalo Sabres, but he's currently sharing the spotlight with rookie defenseman Tyler Myers.

The Sabres look to win their seventh straight, and Miller could try to extend his undefeated streak against the Western Conference on Saturday night when they host the Colorado Avalanche.

Miller made a career-high 48 saves and was aided by a stellar effort from Myers, who scored two power-play goals and assisted on another, to lift Buffalo (28-11-4) to a 3-2 win over Toronto on Friday.

It was Myers' fifth and sixth goals of the season and gives him seven points in the last six games. The 19-year-old is among the rookie leaders with 26 points.

"I'm having the time of my life," said Myers, the first Sabres defenseman with a multigoal game since Jaroslav Spacek scored twice at Philadelphia on Feb. 19. "I was trying pretty hard for that third one, but more importantly we got the win."

Buffalo has tallied 22 goals over the last six games, and once again the offense got off to a quick start by scoring twice in the opening period. They scored three times in the first period of a 5-3 victory over Tampa Bay on Wednesday after being held to one goal in the first period of its previous four wins combined.

"We're moving the puck quickly and more importantly getting the puck to the net," Myers said.

Buffalo hasn't won seven in a row since opening the 2006-07 season with an NHL-record 10 straight wins.

Miller almost surely will play Saturday, looking to extend his own impressive run against the West. The US Olympian is 5-0-0 with a 0.99 goals-against average, but comes in having lost his only two starts against Colorado, allowing four goals on 58 shots.

The Sabres welcome the Avalanche (24-15-6) for the first time since March 7, 2007, when they lost 3-2. Colorado, however, will take the ice having dropped two straight and three of four.

The Avalanche fell 2-1 to Carolina on Friday. Despite outshooting the league-worst Hurricanes, Colorado was 0 for 6 on the power play and didn't get on the board until rookie Brandon Yip scored with 15.5 seconds left.

Colorado has scored eight goals in the last four games.

"We've got to find a way to bury (the puck)," rookie coach Joe Sacco said. "We kept coming after them, especially in the second and third period. We just couldn't pull it behind them today."

Wojtek Wolski, who is tied for the team lead with 15 goals and is second with 38 points, went a season-high fifth straight game without a point

The Avalanche haven't lost three straight in regulation this season, and avoiding that won't be easy given how they're suddenly struggling against teams from the East. Their loss to Carolina came after a 3-2 setback to the Islanders on Wednesday, and dropped Colorado to 8-4-1 against teams from the opposite conference.

Colorado will likely put Craig Anderson back in net after Peter Budaj made 18 saves in his first appearance since Dec. 26. Anderson has alternated wins and losses in his last six games but he is 4-1-0 with a 2.65 GAA in his last six road starts.

Colorado beat Buffalo 2-1 in a shootout on Oct. 25, 2008.