Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Chris Drury scored twice and Brian Campbell had
three assists as Buffalo remained the NHL's only unbeaten team this season
following a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins.
Thomas Vanek scored once and had two assists for the Sabres, who at 8-0 tied
their best start to a season, equaling the 1975-76 club. They've also won 13
straight regular season contests going back to April.
"I think we're definitely enjoying it," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said.
"You enjoy it for that little period of time after games where you reflect on
the game and think we made some nice plays and scored some nice goals and then
you're moving on to the next game."
The Sabres can set the team record with a 9-0 start with a win at Montreal
Monday. The 1975-76 team lost its ninth game, at Toronto. The NHL record for
longest winning streak from the start of a season is 10 games, by Toronto in
1993-94.
Maxim Afinogenov tallied a goal and an assist, while Martin Biron made 24
saves for the Sabres. Ales Kotalik and Jason Pominville each added goals for
Buffalo.
"It's fun when the team is winning, that's the most important thing for us,"
Afinogenov said. "It's definitely teamwork. All the lines keep going for us.
All the lines can put the puck in right now and all the lines are dangerous
right now, that's why we're winning."
Wade Brookbank and Phil Kessel scored for the Bruins, who have lost four of
their last five. Hannu Toivonen stopped 13-of-17 shots before being replaced
in the second period. Tim Thomas made 11 saves in relief.
"They're on a roll now. They have confidence," Thomas said of the Sabres.
"They're playing like they know they're going to win. You have to build that.
We can't just come out and pretend that the next game."
The Sabres took the lead for good after a mistake from Toivonen. He tried to
clear the puck from the crease, but dropped his stick. Kotalik pounced on the
puck to the left of the net and scored easily with 7:07 left in the first for
a 2-1 margin.
Buffalo scored twice in a span of 1:39 early in the second to move ahead by
three goals. Pominville scored from a tough angle to the left of the net at
1:17 on the power play and Afinogenov boosted the advantage moments later.
Kessel scored his first career goal just 18 seconds later from the inside edge
of the right circle for a 4-2 contest. However, Drury lit the lamp on the
power play at 5:29 of the third and less than four minutes later, Vanek
scored.
Drury's first goal of the night came at 6:08 of the first on a one-timer from
the left circle.
Boston tied it less than two minutes later on Brookbank's wrister from the
left circle.
