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Versatile Sabres gun for fourth victory in five games

Dec 16, 2006 - 4:08 PM Ottawa (16-16-1) at Buffalo (24-5-2) 7:00 pm EST

BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- Ryan Miller and the Buffalo Sabres have shown their versatility in their latest win streak.Winners of three of its last four, Buffalo aims to keep rolling when it hosts its Northeast Division rival Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

The Sabres, whose 3.78 goals-per-game average is tops in the NHL, has used some stingy defensive play in their last three victories and they have only surrendered five goals in their last three games.

Miller made 31 saves and Maxim Afinogenov scored the game-winning goal in Buffalo's 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Thomas Vanek scored the other Buffalo goal, his 18th, as the Sabres were actually outshot, 33-16.

Ottawa still does not resemble the club that finished atop the Eastern Conference last season. The Senators, just .500 so far this season, looked dreadful in absorbing a 6-0 blanking at the hands of the Nashville Predators on Thursday.

Ray Emery started for Ottawa but had a disastrous evening in stopping just eight shots of the 14 he faced before being replaced by Martin Gerber, who stopped all 19 shots he faced.

Jason Spezza has been one of the few bright sports for the senators this year with 17 goals and 23 assists. Spezza has been hot lately with eight goals and 15 points in his last 11 games.