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Sabres seek rare road win in Calgary

Dec 27, 2010 - 4:25 PM (Sports Network) - Hoping to halt a three-game road slide, the Buffalo Sabres shoot for their first victory in Calgary in over seven years tonight as they visit the Flames and the Saddledome, but will do so without leading scorer Derek Roy.

The Sabres hit the road for two straight after dropping a 4-3 home test to the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Buffalo allowed three goals in the opening frame before tying things up by the end of the second period. Jordan Leopold scored twice during that surge, while Jason Pominville also had a goal to go along with an assist.

However, the Panthers got the game-winner late in the third period to send the Sabres to their third loss in four games.

"I got my say after the first period for a good period of time," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "What's more important is when they walk out of the room, what they say to each other."

Ryan Miller, aiming for his 200th career victory, made 25 saves for Buffalo, which also lost Roy for 4-to-6 months due to a torn left quadriceps suffered early in the contest. Roy led the club with 35 points off 10 goals and 25 assists, but now likely won't play again this season.

The Sabres have lost six of their last seven on the road and haven't won in Calgary since Oct. 18, 2003, losing their last two trips there. In fact, Buffalo's 2-1 shootout victory over the Flames last season marked the home team's fourth straight win in this series and ninth in the last 10 meetings.

Roy had the game-tying goal in last year's meeting and Miller made 25 saves to improve to 2-1-0 with a 2.53 goals-against average lifetime versus the Flames.

Miikka Kiprusoff recorded 32 saves and the Calgary netminder is 2-1-2 with a 1.75 GAA in his career when facing Buffalo. He turned aside 14 shots and another three skaters in a shootout to lift the Flames to a 3-2 triumph in Dallas on Thursday.

Alex Tanguay forced overtime on a goal with 1:21 left in regulation before scoring the tiebreaker's lone goal. Anton Babchuk also scored for the Flames, who wrapped a three-game road trip by halting a three-game losing streak.

Calgary plays its next two at home, where it has won five of its last seven and is 9-7-0 this season.

Captain Jarome Iginla, who needed four stitches under his right eye after fighting Dallas' Jamie Benn on Thursday, leads the Flames with 14 goals, but hasn't scored a goal in his last five games. He does have an assist in three straight contests and has five tallies and four helpers in 16 career games versus the Sabres.