Final
Devils snap skid, defeat Sabres
Dec 18, 2008 - 3:45 AM BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- David Clarkson scored the game-winner and set up another goal as the New Jersey Devils avoided a third straight loss with a 5-3 triumph over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.Captain Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrik Elias had two assists apiece and Scott Clemmensen made 23 saves for the Devils, who are 10-2-1 in their last 13 games.
"I thought tonight was a 60-minute effort we've come to expect from ourselves - as opposed to the last three games," Clemmensen said. "We're not very exciting to watch and maybe our team goes unnoticed a bit, which is fine with us.
"This is Devils hockey, the way they've been doing it for the past 20-30 years, very successful the last 15 or so. It's an entire team effort. It's been a lot of fun to be a part of."
Travis Zajac, Zach Parise, defenseman Bryce Salvador and Brian Rolston all tallied for New Jersey, which snapped a three-game losing streak to the Sabres. The Devils had already lost to Buffalo twice at home this season.
"We don't want to go on streaks losing a whole bunch in a row," Langenbrunner said. "We were able to get a point last night (a 3-2 overtime loss to Toronto), but we definitely don't want to lose three in a row - and this is a team we've struggled with lately. They play us tough, it was a big win for us on the road."
Drew Stafford, Patrick Kaleta and Paul Gaustad each netted goal for the Sabres, who had won four of their previous five contests.
New Jersey took a 3-2 lead into the third period and Clarkson provided some needed breathing room with his sixth goal of the season at the 6:04 mark. Clarkson beat Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller with a wrist shot from the edge of the crease.
"I was thinking of going to my backhand, but it felt like I was standing in sand," Clarkson said. "I thought someone was coming behind me, but when I went to my backhand I saw (Miller) go down, so I just put it through the five-hole."
Less than 3 1/2 minutes later, Clarkson picked up an assist on Rolston's goal that gave the Devils a 5-2 advantage at 9:31. Rolston scored after a scramble in front of the net.
"A big goal by 'Clarkie', a big goal by 'Rollie', the two goals in the third period were huge for us," New Jersey coach Brent Sutter said. "It was just a real solid game. We did a lot of things well."
The Sabres answered 12 seconds later with Gaustad's goal, but failed to add another during the second half of the session.
"We need to simplify our game," Gaustad said. "When we play our game simple, hard hockey, we're a tough team to beat. But we made some mistakes that we shouldn't make and communication is one of the issues."
Miller turned aside 25 shots for Buffalo.
- NHL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 2 1 2 5
BUFFALO 1 1 1 3 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - TRAVIS ZAJAC 8 (MIKE MOTTAU, JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER) 1:36
BUF - DREW STAFFORD 7 (CLARKE MACARTHUR, DEREK ROY) 6:58
NJD - (PP) ZACH PARISE 18 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER, PATRIK
ELIAS) 11:44
2ND PRD: NJD - BRYCE SALVADOR
Dec 17 9:32 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 5
BUFFALO 3
3RD PRD: BUF - PAUL GAUSTAD 3 (JASON POMINVILLE, JOCHEN HECHT) 9:43
Devils 5, Sabres 3 3rd - 10:17Dec 17 9:13 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 5
BUFFALO 2
3RD PRD: NJD - BRIAN ROLSTON 2 (DAVID CLARKSON) 9:31
Devils 5, Sabres 2 3rd - 10:29Dec 17 9:13 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 4
BUFFALO 2
3RD PRD: NJD - DAVID CLARKSON 6 (UNASSISTED) 6:04
Devils 4, Sabres 2 3rd - 13:56Dec 17 9:02 PM - NHL
END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 2 1 3
BUFFALO 1 1 2 END OF THE 2ND
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - TRAVIS ZAJAC 8 (MIKE MOTTAU, JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER) 1:36
BUF - DREW STAFFORD 7 (CLARKE MACARTHUR, DEREK ROY) 6:58
NJD - (PP) ZACH PARISE 18 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER, PATRIK
ELIAS) 11:44
2ND PRD: NJD - BR
Dec 17 8:35 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 3
BUFFALO 2
2ND PRD: BUF - PATRICK KALETA 2 (DANIEL PAILLE, JAROSLAV SPACEK) 11:10
Devils 3, Sabres 2 2nd - 8:50Dec 17 8:20 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 3
BUFFALO 1
2ND PRD: NJD - BRIAN GIONTA 9 (BRYCE SALVADOR, PATRIK ELIAS) 10:52
Devils 3, Sabres 1 2nd - 9:08Dec 17 8:20 PM - NHL
END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
NEW JERSEY 2 2
BUFFALO 1 1 END OF THE 1ST
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NJD - TRAVIS ZAJAC 8 (MIKE MOTTAU, JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER) 1:36
BUF - DREW STAFFORD 7 (CLARKE MACARTHUR, DEREK ROY) 6:58
NJD - (PP) ZACH PARISE 18 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER, PATRIK
ELIAS) 11:44
SHOTS ON GOAL:
Dec 17 7:44 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 2
BUFFALO 1
1ST PRD: NJD - (PP) ZACH PARISE 18 (JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER, PATRIK ELIAS)
11:44 (TWO-MAN ADVANTAGE)
Devils 2, Sabres 1 1st - 8:16Dec 17 7:31 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 1
BUFFALO 1
1ST PRD: BUF - DREW STAFFORD 7 (CLARKE MACARTHUR, DEREK ROY) 6:58
Devils 1, Sabres 1 1st - 13:02Dec 17 7:19 PM - NHL
NEW JERSEY 1
BUFFALO 0
1ST PRD: NJD - TRAVIS ZAJAC 8 (MIKE MOTTAU, JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER) 1:36
Devils 1, Sabres 0 1st - 18:24Dec 17 7:12 PM
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