Rookie Tyler Myers Has Two Goals, Assist For Sabres

by

Jan 8, 2010

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Rookie defenseman Tyler Myers scored two of Buffalo's three power-play goals and assisted on the other in the Sabres' 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.

Ryan Miller made a career-high 48 saves, and Tim Kennedy also scored in Buffalo's sixth straight victory and 10th in a row against Toronto.

Matt Stajan and John Mitchell scored third-period goals for Toronto, and Vesa Toskala stopped 28 shots. The Maple Leafs have lost four of their last five.

The 19-year-old Myers, second among NHL rookies with 26 points, scored his fifth and sixth goals from close range against Toskala. On the first, which gave the Sabres a 2-0 lead with 2:21 remaining in the first period, Myers pinched in and took a nice cross-crease pass from Thomas Vanek. The second, 7 1/2 minutes into the second period, was similar, but Tim Connolly's shot drifted wide as Myers charged in for the tip.

Myers became the first Sabres defenseman with a multigoal game since Jaroslav Spacek scored twice at Philadelphia last Feb. 19.

Kennedy opened the scoring 1:27 before Myers' first tally, wristing a shot past Toskala's short side. Buffalo's first two goals came after Toronto's Rickard Wallin was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking Connolly.

Mitchell's goal got Toronto back to a one-goal deficit with 2:43 left, but Miller made four stops after Toronto used an extra attacker.

Miller, selected to the U.S. Olympic team last week, once again played well against Toronto coach Ron Wilson, who will direct the U.S. team. In winning all five games this season against the Maple Leafs, Miller has a goals-against average of 1.58 and a .960 save percentage.

Notes
Buffalo's 10 straight wins against Toronto tied a franchise mark for longest winning streak against one team. The Sabres beat Washington 10 times in a row between 1981 and 1984. … Connolly had two assists to extend his points streak to a career-best eight games. … Toronto has given up the first goal in 32 of its 45 games. … Toronto C Phil Kessel continued to struggle. In his last 11 games, he has only one goal with no assists and a minus-8 rating.

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