Hurricanes yield a late 5-spot again in loss
Last Updated: Saturday, November 28, 2009 | 10:55 PM ET
The Associated Press
The Buffalo Sabres scored five goals in the third period to keep the Carolina Hurricanes winless on the road with a 5-1 victory Saturday night.
For the second straight night, the Hurricanes allowed five goals in the third period to blow a lead in comprehensive fashion. They led Atlanta 4-1 on Friday after 40 minutes but were defeated 6-4.
Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy and Jochen Hecht had a goal and assist each for the Sabres, and Mike Grier and Clarke MacArthur also scored for the Sabres (14-7-2), who won their second straight.
Ryan Miller made 30 saves, while big rookie defenceman Tyler Myers had three assists.
Matt Cullen scored, and Michael Leighton made 19 saves for the lethargic Hurricanes (5-16-5), who remain the NHL's lone team without a win away from home (0-10-3).
The last NHL team to open with 13 straight winless road games or more was the 2003-04 Columbus Blue Jackets, who started 0-11-2 with one tie away from home.
With Buffalo down 1-0, the game turned when Miller made a spectacular diving glove stop on a rebound attempt by Carolina captain Rod Brind'Amour from the left circle while the Hurricanes were short-handed late in the period.
"If we go up 2-0, it's a way different game," said Brind'Amour. "Right at the end of the period and short-handed, that would probably deflate them instead of giving them a big lift."
Buffalo began its comeback just two minutes into the third period when Grier banged home a rebound from in tight. MacArthur followed by giving the Sabres their first lead, redirecting a pass on the power play from Roy at 4:33 to make it 2-1.
"It was a wakeup call for us," said Grier. "It made us realize that, 'Hey, we need to get going."'
Roy made it 3-1 when he shovelled in a loose puck in the crease after Jason Pominville kicked it toward the net from the slot, and Hecht made it 4-1 with another power-play goal midway through the third.
"It's no fun here right now," Hurricanes centre Eric Staal said. "Obviously, we're fragile. That's two games in a row where the third period comes around and we lose both. That's the sign of a team that isn't feeling it."
Cullen opened the scoring at 8:19 of the first period, converting a turnover by Buffalo defenceman Tyler Myers at the Sabres' blue-line. Cullen went in and backhanded the puck past Miller.
The Sabres were without captain Craig Rivet (leg) and centre Paul Gaustad (knee), while Carolina played without defenceman Joni Pitkanen, who sustained an upper-body injury on Friday against Atlanta.
Buffalo forward Patrick Kaleta served the first of a two-game suspension for a boarding major penalty against Philadelphia's Jared Ross on Friday.
With files from CBCSports.ca
