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Sabres aim to snap four-game road skid vs. Panthers

Oct 26, 2007 - 1:55 PM Buffalo (3-5-0) at Florida (4-5-0) 7:30 pm EDT

SUNRISE, Florida (Ticker) -- The Buffalo Sabres were outstanding on the road a season ago. This season has been a different story.

The Sabres look to avoid a fourth straight road loss when they visit the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

In 2006, Buffalo opened the season with an NHL-record 10-straight road wins. However, it has struggled mightily away from home thus far.

The Sabres, who have not lost four straight on the road since 2000-01, are coming off a 6-2 loss to Carolina on Wednesday, and have been outscored, 13-6, during the skid.

The loss was a costly one, as center Paul Gaustad left the game after being hit in the face with a stick. Buffalo also lost defenseman Dmitri Kalinin, who suffered a knee strain.

Goaltender Ryan Miller, who stopped 37 shots in the setback, has been more of the problem than the solution. He is just 2-5 with a 3.32 goals-against average.

While Buffalo is scuffling, the Florida has hit its stride. Captain Olli Jokinen recorded his first two-goal game of the season in Wednesday's 4-3 win over Philadelphia.

With the first goal, Jokinen passed Scott Mellanby as the franchise's all-time points leader. With the second one, he became the franchise's all-time leading goal scorer.

The Panthers lost three straight to start the season, but have rebounded in part because of the play of netminder Thomas Voukon. Voukon stopped 20 shots in the win over the Flyers and has a 2.37 GAA since October 11.