Senators 3 - 2 Sabres
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Senators visit injury-riddled Sabres

Dec 31, 2011 - 4:15 PM (Sports Network) - After a slow start last night, the Senators started getting the bounces and were able to notch a thrilling victory that was capped with a milestone goal.

For the Sabres, not only did the bounces continue to go against them, but they also saw yet another player go down with an injury.

Now without its high-priced defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, Buffalo tries to avoid an eighth loss in 10 games tonight as it hosts Ottawa.

The Sabres went into last night's game against the Capitals with five players on injured reserve, including Tyler Myers, Nathan Gerbe and Ville Leino. Andrej Sekera and Tyler Ennis also remained out with injuries and things got worse when Ehrhoff left the game with an upper-body injury following a first- period fight with Washington's Troy Brouwer.

"He's going to miss some time," said Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff of Ehrhoff, who signed a 10-year, $40 million deal this offseason. "It'll be weeks."

That was the first blow of the night. The second was a 3-1 loss to the Capitals. Jochen Hecht had the lone goal for Buffalo and Ryan Miller made 18 saves.

"I've never seen so many bouncing pucks go the wrong way," said Ruff. "But, if you don't score you don't win games."

The Senators enjoyed their Friday night much more, rallying from a three-goal deficit in the first period to beat the Flames 4-3 in overtime. The game- winner came off the stick of Daniel Alfredsson for his 400th career goal. The winger rifled a one-timer 3:31 into the extra frame, but said he wasn't pressing to get the milestone tally.

"I always said I would love to do it at home, but it's going to happen when it happens," Alfredsson said. "Today, you're so caught up in the game, you just want to win the game, and I didn't really think about if I score now, it's going to be the 400th. I was just trying to find a lane and if I did I was going to shoot it."

Nick Foligno, Zack Smith and Erik Karlsson also scored for Ottawa, which is 4-1-1 in its past six games. Alex Auld gave up three goals on 15 shots in the first period and was pulled for Craig Anderson, who made 17 saves for the win.

"In the second and third periods we responded. In the first period, we weren't very good at all," said Ottawa head coach Paul MacLean. "We didn't play with enough competitive juice."

The Sabres had won six in a row versus the Senators, including the first two meetings this year, before Ottawa rebounded with back-to-back wins in this series. One of those came in overtime in the last meeting at Buffalo on Dec. 13.

Erik Condra has scored three goals versus the Sabres this year, while Karlsson and Jason Spezza lead the team with four points each. Anderson has been in net for all four games, going 2-1-1 with a 2.23 goals-against average.

Jordan Leopold leads Buffalo versus Ottawa this year with three goals, while Derek Roy has a pair of goals and three assists. Drew Stafford has logged five assists.






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