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Sabres look to continue hot streak vs. ice-cold Thrashers

Oct 18, 2008 - 10:09 AM Buffalo (4-0-0) at Atlanta (1-2-1), 7:00pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Through the first week of the season, the Buffalo Sabres are one of just four teams that remain unbeaten. They will put that perfect mark on the line on Saturday, when they visit the struggling Atlanta Thrashers.

This is not unfamiliar territory for the Sabres. Two seasons ago, they opened with 10 consecutive victories, becoming just the second team in NHL history to accomplish the feat.

It has been difficult enough to score on Buffalo, which has allowed a league-low five goals in four games, but it has been impossible to do so with the man advantage. The Sabres are a perfect 18-for-18 on the penalty kill this season, including a 3-for-3 effort in Friday's 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

Buffalo's offense, on the other hand, had no such trouble. Defenseman Jaroslav Spacek and Clarke MacArthur each scored a power-play goal in the first 8 1/2 minutes of the game as the Sabres rolled to another triumph.

Thomas Vanek also added his league-leading sixth tally in the second period. The Austrian left wing has scored in every game this season - including back-to-back two-goal performances earlier in the week.

As if facing the league's hottest defense was not enough, the Thrashers enter Saturday's showdown in an offensive slump. After a seven-goal outburst in their season-opening victory over the Washington Capitals, they have gone cold.

Atlanta has managed just five goals in its last three games and was shut out in its last game, a 1-0 home loss to Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

The 12th overall pick in 2006, Bryan Little leads the Thrashers in scoring with five points in four games.