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Miller, Sabres blank Devils

Nov 4, 2008 - 3:54 AM By Daren Smith PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NEWARK, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The Buffalo Sabres gave the New Jersey Devils a depressing look at life without Martin Brodeur.

Ryan Miller recorded his second straight shutout and defenseman Jaroslav Spacek set up both goals as the Sabres handed the Devils their fourth loss in five games with a 2-0 triumph on Monday.

Still awaiting word on the severity of Brodeur's elbow injury, New Jersey staggered through a first period in which it was outshot, 20-3.

"We didn't play at all in the first period, we stood around, watching," Devils center John Madden said. "The penalties didn't help, either. We didn't get anything going."

Buffalo peppered backup goaltender Kevin Weekes but did not break through until the final minute of the period, at the end of its fifth power play. Jason Pominville got a feed from Spacek in the left faceoff circle and blistered a one-timer over Weekes' right shoulder for his fourth goal of the season and second in as many games.

"Spacek made a great play, he kind of faked a shot and just slid it over to me. I just had to one-time it in," Pominville said.

Patrick Kaleta added his first goal since March in the third period and the rest was up to Miller, who stopped 24 shots for his ninth career shutout. The 28-year-old Michigan native helped the Sabres win in New Jersey for only the second time in 13 trips since February 2001.

Miller stopped three shots in the first, 12 in the second and nine in the third for his second shutout of the season.

"When they come, they're good to have," said Miller, the first Sabre to record back-to-back shutouts in five years. "I'm just happy to help the boys. Tonight, I felt we had to keep the score 1-0 and go as deep as we could because Weekes had a great start to the game."

Weekes clearly was the best player on the ice for the Devils, who also were without injured regulars Brian Rolston, Bobby Holik and defensemen Paul Martin and Andy Greene.

"I guess it's a natural thing to think about (the injuries), but you can't use it as an excuse, and I don't believe our guys are using it as an excuse," New Jersey coach Brent Sutter said. "But psychologically, when you come to the rink and find out your top defenseman isn't playing, on top of the (Brodeur) situation, I think maybe it plays with your mind a little bit."

Whatever the reason, the Devils managed just one shot in the first 10 1/2 minutes of the game, then gave the Sabres a two-man advantage late in the first period. Weekes helped kill the 96-second 5-on-3 before Pominville sent the Sabres to the dressing room with the lead.

"It was a relief (to score)," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "(Weekes) had made a couple of big saves, we missed a couple of opportunities. ... If you get out of that, he might be unbeatable. We could have run away with it, but Kevin played a great game. In the first period, he made seven or eight real quality saves."

Weekes had no chance on the Sabres' other goal. With 12:19 remaining, Kaleta got a piece of defenseman Andrej Sereka's shot from the blue line, deflecting it through the goalie's pads.

"I just kind of parked myself a little bit, got it with the shaft of my stick and it squeezed in through here," Kaleta said. "Credit to Goose (Paul Gaustad) on the draw and Reggie with the shot."

New Jersey was 0-for-7 on the power play and failed to get the puck past Miller after pulling Weekes for an extra attacker with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third.

"I thought the penalty-killers had great desperation. They didn't give them a lot," Ruff said. "We gave them some outside stuff, we were down blocking shots. Even at the end, when they pulled the goalie, we kept everything to the outside."