Associated Press
BUFFALO
January 03, 2007 10:30 pm
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Dany Heatley scored three goals and set an Ottawa record with four points in the second period, leading the Senators to a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
Heatley, who also combined with newcomer Mike Comrie to set up a goal by Tom Preissing, tied his career high for points in a game and topped the previous club mark of three in a period. His hat trick tied Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson’s team record for goals in a period.
Ray Emery, chosen as the NHL’s first star of the week on Tuesday, made 33 saves. Peter Schaefer and Wade Redden added goals in the third for Ottawa, undefeated in regulation in six games (5-0-1).
Paul Gaustad spoiled Emery’s shutout bid 4:55 into the third with his seventh goal of the season but Buffalo’s four-game winning streak was snapped.
Maxim Afinogenov and Jason Pominville added goals for the Sabres, who lost in regulation for just the eighth time this season and first since a 5-2 defeat in Montreal on Dec. 19.
Buffalo had earned 11 points in its previous six games (5-0-1).
Ottawa went 3-for-4 on the power play, and killed the Sabres’ five opportunities.
Heatley opened the scoring 4:53 into the second with his first short-handed goal of the season, batting his own rebound out of the air and over goalie Ryan Miller.
He made it 2-0 with an even-strength goal at 10:12, then set up Ottawa’s second power-play goal moments later. Heatley took a pass from Comrie behind the goal line before feeding Preissing, who beat Miller from the goalmouth at 12:20.
The crowd of 19,777 tossed a couple dozen baseball caps onto the ice after Heatley completed his third hat trick of the season with a power-play goal 16:30 into the second that made it 4-0.
With top two centers Jason Spezza and Mike Fisher out with knee injuries, and Antoine Vermette day to day with a hip injury, Senators general manager John Muckler acquired Comrie in a trade with Phoenix earlier Wednesday.
Comrie, who centered a line with Schaefer and Chris Neil, assisted on Preissing’s goal after he showcased a bit of his skill with a couple of nifty plays earlier in the middle period.
He added his second assist as Redden scored Ottawa’s third power-play goal 13:15 into the third after Schaefer had a breakaway earlier in the period.
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