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  Friday, Nov. 3 7:00pm ET
Satan's breakaway proves to be winner
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Things are much brighter this year for Dominik Hasek, Chris Gratton and the rest of the Buffalo Sabres.

Gratton, who was in Tampa Bay a year ago, scored what proved to be the winning goal in the Sabres' 5-4 victory Friday night over the Montreal Canadiens. Hasek, injured at this time last year, stopped 31 shots, including a penalty shot midway through the third period.

Dominik Hasek
Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek stopped 31 shots against the Canadiens on Friday.

"That was a game that last year we would have found a way to lose," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "We found enough offense to win."

Buffalo blew a 3-0 lead as Craig Darby tied it 3-3 with 16:20 to play.

Miroslav Satan snapped the tie with 11:44 left and Hasek stopped the penalty shot by Dainius Zubrus less than a minute later.

Gratton gave the Sabres a 5-3 lead with 7:16 remaining before Karl Dykhuis brought Montreal within one, scoring his second goal of the game with 1:48 left.

"We battled extremely well to come back in the game," Canadiens coach Alain Vigneault said. "It's the same story the last four or five games. We outplay the opposition but the results aren't on our side."

The win kept the Sabres undefeated (5-0-1) this season at home.

"It came too easy too quick for us," Ruff said. "From start to finish, they basically outplayed us."

Vladimir Tsyplakov gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead 36 seconds in, and defensemen Alexei Zhitnik and Dmitri Kalinin scored power-play goals later in the period to put the Sabres up 3-0.

Martin Rucinsky and Dykhuis scored in the second period for Montreal, which is winless on the road (0-4-1).

Gratton, who scored all four of his goals in the last six games, buried a slap shot from the right circle.

"The first five games, I was shooting and it seemed the net was as small as a mousehole," Gratton said. "You get a couple of bounces and our line gets confidence."

The first-period goals by Zhitnik and Kalinin came during a double-minor penalty to Enrico Ciccone. After allowing three goals on five shots, Jose Theodore was replaced by Mathieu Garon, a rookie making his second NHL appearance.

"It was like two games," said Garon, who made eight saves. "The first part we lost 3-0 and the second part we won 3-2."

The Sabres relaxed after grabbing the early advantage.

"We were probably too satisfied after leading 3-0," Satan said. "Giving up a 3-0 lead isn't something that should happen in the NHL. We did that and had to find another way to win the game."

Game notes
Buffalo's start at home is their longest undefeated streak to begin a season since going 13-0-1 in the 1989-90 campaign. ... The Sabres have scored 11 power-play goals in 11 games. Last season, Buffalo didn't score its 11th until the 21st game. ... Zhitnik has a goal and two assists in two games after serving a four-game suspension. ... Doug Gilmour's assist on Gratton's goal gave him 891 assists, tying Dale Hawerchuk for 13th on the NHL's career list. ... Garon played for the first time since his NHL debut, a relief stint, on Oct. 6. ... Hasek has stopped five of eight career penalty shots. ... Sabres center Stu Barnes slightly sprained his groin and will miss Saturday's game at Philadelphia.
 


ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard

Montreal Clubhouse

Buffalo Clubhouse


RECAPS
Buffalo 5
Montreal 4

Chicago 6
Detroit 1

Tampa Bay 4
NY Islanders 3

Colorado 5
Carolina 3

Edmonton 3
Minnesota 0

Dallas 2
Phoenix 2

Pittsburgh 4
Vancouver 2

AUDIO/VIDEO
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 Dominik Hasek denies Dainius Zubrus on the penalty shot.
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