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Devils hand Sabres ninth straight loss in shootout

Jan 13, 2008 - 4:40 AM By Dave Whalen PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- Shootout or not, the misery continues for Buffalo Sabres.

Zach Parise and Patrik Elias scored in the shootout and Martin Brodeur made 21 saves before stopping both shooters in the bonus format as the New Jersey Devils erased a two-goal deficit and defeated the Sabres, 3-2, on Saturday night.

Daniel Paille scored two goals in the first period for Buffalo, which is winless in its last nine games - three of which have been shootout losses to New Jersey . The Sabres have dropped three consecutive games in the bonus format and five overall during their current slide.

"We were kind of shaking our heads," Paille said of the shootout. "It's something we have to work with. We're struggling (to get) goals in the shootout. One of these days, we'll get a win in it."

"It hasn't been a good feeling, obviously," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff added. "It was tough. I think we played even harder tonight than we did in Ottawa (on Thursday). I think that we totally dominated the first 40 minutes and we let them off the hook in the second period with goalposts and crossbars."

Parise started the shootout on a positive note for the Devils, deking Ryan Miller and tucking a wrist shot into the net as the netminder slid out of position.

Elias sealed the victory in the third round, when he backhanded the puck between the pads of Miller.

Brodeur made two impressive stops in the bonus format. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner denied Buffalo 's best shootout performer, Ales Kotalik, with his left pad and made a glove save on Thomas Vanek.

"It's pretty weird. It's just the way it is," Brodeur said of Buffalo's struggles. "Right now, they're snake-bitten. I thought they outplayed us. When you're not winning, sometimes you find ways to lose games.

"We stayed in there, they didn't score that big goal that they needed to take the big advantage on us. They let us hang around, and we made them pay."

It appeared as if the Sabres were about to end their current skid, but with Brodeur pulled for an extra attacker, David Clarkson tied the game at 2-2 with 67 seconds left in the third period. Clarkson took a pass from rookie defenseman Andy Greene behind the net and tucked the puck past Miller.

"I was put in there for a guy in front," Clarkson said. "I just tried to put it on net, hopefully it goes in. It went in. To be honest with you, just battling hard."

Miller turned aside 23 shots for Buffalo.

It took just 58 seconds for Paille to get the Sabres on the scoreboard. The third-year left wing redirected a puck over Brodeur's left shoulder with his left skate, and after video review, it was ruled that there was no kicking motion.

Paille doubled the lead midway through the opening session, when he chased down a lead pass from Paul Gaustad and caught up to it just before reaching the end line, snapping a shot between the goal post and a surprised Brodeur's right skate at 10:38.

It was Paille's third goal in the last two games after being a healthy scratch the previous two contests.

Blue-liner Paul Martin halved the deficit in the second period, when he took a shot from the right point that Miller got a piece of with his glove. But the puck managed to have enough on it to go in with 6:13 left, drawing New Jersey within 2-1.

"It was probably the worst game in front of our net," Elias said. "They jumped in and we weren't prepared for it. We stuck in and got that important goal at the right time."

Devils center John Madden, who was playing in his 600th career game, left the contest after sustaining a cut on his right leg.

"I think it was (Buffalo defenseman Henrik) Tallinder," Madden said of the play. "We both went for the puck. I felt him step down and knew right away I was cut."