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April 5, 2007

Bruins drop fifth straight

Thomas Vanek scored twice and the Buffalo Sabres matched a franchise record with their 52nd victory, a 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

Ales Kotalik and Derek Roy also scored to help the Sabres rally from a 2-0 first-period deficit in Buffalo's final home game of the season.

It was a big night for goaltender Ryan Miller, who earned his 39th victory to set the single-season team record, one ahead of the mark set by Don Edwards in 1977-78. Miller stopped 20 shots, including the final 11 he faced.

The Sabres (52-21-7) matched their win total from last season and have clinched the Eastern Conference's top seed heading into the playoffs next week. They have two games left — Saturday at Washington and Sunday at Philadelphia.

Andrew Ference and Patrice Bergeron scored for the Bruins, who have been eliminated from playoff contention. They lost their fifth straight and are now 1-9-1 in their past 11.

Vanek's second goal, scored 5 minutes into the third period, put the Sabres ahead.
Getting to a loose puck at his own blue line, Vanek streaked up the right wing ahead of defender Dennis Wideman. Approaching the Bruins' net, Vanek cut in front by outmuscling Wideman and then slipped a shot in through the legs of Hannu Toivonen.

After spotting the Bruins a 2-0 lead on Bergeron's power-play goal 14 minutes in, the Sabres tied the game before the first period was over when Vanek scored on a wraparound, catching Toivonen looking the wrong way.

Miller's biggest save came in the second period, when he got across to rob Ference, set up for a one-timer at the right post.

The Sabres welcomed back Maxim Afinogenov, who played his first game after missing 21 with a broken left wrist. Afinogenov showed he hadn't lost a step midway through the second period when he got around Ference and cut to the front of the net before having his sharp backhander stopped by Toivonen.

Afinogenov had an assist on Roy's goal.

--AP

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 9:44 PM to Bruins | Permalink

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