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Sabres stop Sens

Feb 26, 2011 - 6:13 AM Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Cody McCormick scored a goal and had an assist while Ryan Miller made 29 saves and notched his first assist of the season in Buffalo's 4-2 win over Ottawa at HSBC Arena.

Mike Grier, Thomas Vanek and Jochen Hecht all notched goals for the Sabres, who have won two straight since a three-game slide. With the win, Buffalo remained three points behind Carolina for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

"I think overall we played a heck of a game," said Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff. "But, we had trouble putting them away. We had chances to put them away but we let them get back in it."

Milan Michalek and Jason Spezza each had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, which had its two-game victory streak broken. Craig Anderson, who had 35 saves, received his first loss since being acquired from Colorado on February 19.

"We were pushing there at the end but we couldn't get the equalizer," said Anderson. "We'll get things together here and turn things around. If you play with effort you stand a good chance of winning."

Nearly 6 1/2 minutes in the game, Buffalo lit the lamp first after Grier received a breakout pass from Cody McCormick and finished it with backhander past Anderson.

The Sabres potted a second goal nearing the midway point of the second stanza when McCormick controlled Steve Montador's bouncing pass in the slot and snapped it into the back of the cage.

Ottawa answered back on Spezza's breakaway goal with 5 1/2 minutes left in the second.

Buffalo posted a much-needed insurance goal 7 1/2 minutes into the third period on a 2-on-1 rush. Drew Stafford's shot was deflected by Anderson, but Hecht sent home the big rebound.

The Sens pulled within 3-2 with just under two minutes left when Michalek skated into the left circle before sending a rising wrister past Miller's glove hand.

The Sabres, though, were able to hold on when Miller stopped a possible game- tying goal which then credited him with an assist on Vanek's empty-netter in the final minute.

Game Notes

Buffalo is 2-3-0 on a six-game homestand that is set to end Saturday against Detroit. The Sabres are 14-15-2 as the host this season...Ottawa will travel to Philadelphia on Saturday...Montador notched two assists in the win...Neither teams were successful on the power play, as Buffalo was 0-for-2, while Ottawa was 0-for-4.