Hurricanes 4, Sabres 3: Alexander Semin had a goal and two assists to power host Carolina to its fourth consecutive victory.
Jussi Jokinen, Jiri Tlusty and defenseman Joe Corvo added goals and captain Eric Staal collected three assists as the Hurricanes completed a three-game sweep against Buffalo this season.
Justin Peters, who was making his first NHL appearance in 13 months, made 37 saves to secure his first win since Feb. 20, 2012. Ryan Miller had 24 saves for the Sabres.
Cody Hodgson scored a pair of goals and defenseman T.J. Brennan had a power-play tally for Buffalo, which cut a two-goal deficit in half three times before absorbing its second straight loss following a three-game winning streak.
Hodgson scored 25 seconds into the final period to cut the deficit to 2-1, but Jokinen answered 50 seconds later to restore the two-game cushion. Brennan's one-timer at 14:33 again brought the Sabres within a goal before Semin snapped a wrist shot from just inside the right circle past Miller at 16:13.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Staal collected his 600th career assist on Tlusty's goal. Semin scored his first goal at home and picked up his 16th assist on Tlusty's tally, extending the entire line's point streak to four games. ... Sabres captain Jason Pominville notched his 265th career assist to move into 10th place on the franchise career list. ... Peters was called up from Charlotte of the American Hockey League after Hurricanes G Cam Ward suffered a sprained knee in Sunday's game. Ward will be out six to eight weeks.
Buffalo | Carolina | |
Cody Hodgson 2 | Points | Alexander Semin 3 |
Cody Hodgson 2 | Goals | Alexander Semin 1 |
Jason Pominville 2 | Assists | Eric Staal 3 |
T.J. Brennan 1 | Power Play Goals | Joe Corvo 1 |
Cody Hodgson 1 | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Ryan Miller .857 | Save Percentage | Justin Peters .925 |
Ryan Miller 24 | Saves | Justin Peters 37 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Buffalo | 40 | 3 | 1-3 | 2-3 | 6 | 30 |
Carolina | 28 | 4 | 1-3 | 2-3 | 6 | 37 |