I have a feeling that I’m not going to need to say much about today’s game, so here’s the Associated Press story for you to chew on…
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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Ryan Miller made 40 saves for his third shutout of the season and 10th of his career, and Derek Roy had a goal and two assists in the Buffalo Sabres’ 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night.
Miller was solid throughout the game, especially in the first two periods when Los Angeles outshot Buffalo 25-13.
Drew Stafford had a goal and assist, and Adam Mair, Clarke MacArthur and Matt Ellis also scored to help the Sabres (15-13-3) snap a two-game home losing streak at home. Buffalo improved to 5-2 in its last seven.
Jason LaBarbera made 10 saves in a little over two periods of action, and dropped to 0-2-2 in his last four starts. He was replaced by Jonathan Quick after Stafford made it 4-0 just 3 minutes into the third period with a power-play goal.
Quick allowed a goal on eight shots in relief.
The Kings have lost three straight to drop to 13-13-6.
The Sabres were without Paul Gaustad (upper body), captain Craig Rivet (shoulder) and rookie forward Nathan Gerbe (upper body).
Buffalo forward Patrick Kaleta missed almost half the game when he was dropped by a punch to the face by Los Angeles defenseman Denis Gauthier after Gauthier missed hitting Kaleta in the Kings’ right corner. Gauthier received a double-minor for roughing, while Kaleta stayed on the ice face-first for about 10 seconds.
Kaleta returned to the lineup Wednesday night against New Jersey after missing seven games because of a head and neck injury.
Stafford chased LaBarbera with a backhander from the slot for his eighth of the season.
Roy was credited with his 10th of the season with just under 4 minutes left in the first period. From behind the goal line, Roy sent the puck to the front of the net, but his attempt hit off the back of LaBarbera’s leg. As the puck appeared to be heading into the net, defenseman Kyle Quincey batted it out of the air, but it again went off LaBarbera’s leg before going in.
Mair made it 2-0 2 1/2 minutes into the second period with his fourth, banging home a loose puck in the crease after Chris Butler’s wrist shot from the blue line squirted through LaBarbera’s legs.
Buffalo pushed its lead to 3-0 when MacArthur redirected Stafford’s pass in front of the net for his seventh of the season at 6:56.
Ellis capped the scoring with his first with 5:27 left in regulation.
Game notes
Butler was making his NHL debut after the Sabres recalled him from Portland of the AHL on Thursday. … Roy extended his points streak to eight games. … The Kings began a three-game road trip. … About a foot of fell on the city earlier in the day, but the arena was still about 90 percent full. … The Sabres have won three in a row and eight of the last nine against the Kings on home ice. … Los Angeles went 0-for-1 on the power play after converting on 32.3 percent of their man-advantage opportunities over the previous eight games.
