Red Wings 4 - 1 Sabres
Final
  for this game

Detroit takes down Buffalo

Dec 3, 2011 - 5:14 AM Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Pavel Datsyuk totaled a goal and one assist as Detroit downed Buffalo, 4-1, thanks to a three-goal first period.

Jakub Kindl, Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen also tallied for the Red Wings, who have won seven straight games.

Jimmy Howard stopped 27-of-28 shots for the win.

"We did an excellent job from the start," Howard noted. "When we get to the neutral zone and get on top of the other team and find loose pucks, that's whet we're at our best."

Jochen Hecht provided the sole offense for the Sabres, losers in five of their last six.

Jhonas Enroth was tagged for three scores on 35 shots in defeat.

Kindl put the Wings on the board at 8:50 of the opening period when his floater from the left point fooled Enroth and hit the net high to his glove side.

Franzen then netted a power-play score at 13:38 on a wrister from the slot and Filppula struck 63 seconds later for a 3-0 game.

Howard stopped eight shots in the first and nine in a scoreless middle period.

Buffalo finally solved Howard with 6:13 left in regulation, as Hecht took a lead pass from Jason Pominville on the left wing and snapped a shot home.

Datsyuk hit the empty net with 1:17 remaining to lock up the game.

"They cashed in on the opportunities they got," Pominville said. "But it falls on us to make sure we put ours away. We have to be better in that aspect because it's happened the last couple games."

Game Notes

Buffalo travels to Nashville on Saturday and Detroit heads to Colorado on Sunday...The Red Wings last won seven in a row from March 20-April 1, 2010...Detroit has never blanked Sabres in Buffalo, but has gone 8-2-1 in western New York since October of 1996...Buffalo forward Nathan Gerbe left the game in the third period and did not return after being accidentally clipped by the skate of teammate Paul Gaustad.






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