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BRUINS 3, Sabres 0
Grahame gets first shutout
BOSTON (AP) -- With his job on the line, Boston Bruins goaltender John Grahame rose to the occasion.
Sergei Samsonov scored two goals, and Grahame made 26 saves to earn his first career shutout as the Bruins beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-0 on Saturday night.
After Byron Dafoe signed a three-year deal Friday, Grahame is battling Robbie Tallas for the backup spot.
"Grahame looks a little unorthodox at times but he sure does cover a lot of net," said Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff. "I imagine Robbie (Tallas) would have liked to have seen a few of those go in."
After starting out the season without a victory in their first nine games, the Bruins are 4-0-1 since.
"We were not playing poorly before, it is just that now we are playing with more confidence and passion," said Bruins coach Pat Burns.
The Sabres, who lost in the Stanley Cup Finals last year to the Dallas Stars, continued to struggle on the road as they remained winless in six games.
"We have been shut out three times this season and all that tells you, is that on the power play we are not paying a big enough price," Ruff said. "If you are going to score a goal, you have to score some ugly ones, too."
Kyle McLaren's slap shot from the blue line beat Sabres goalie Martin Biron at 8:46 of the first period as a Bruins power play expired to give Boston a 1-0 lead.
Boston increased its lead 46 seconds later when Samsonov fired a wrist a shot from the slot over Biron's glove side after taking a backhand pass from Joe Thornton.
Samsonov scored his second goal of the game and fourth of the season when he converted another pass by Thornton to give the Bruins a 3-0 lead.
"Joe and I are still getting to know each other," Samsonov said. "We have fun playing together and are becoming aware of each other's tendencies."
Buffalo's best scoring opportunity came with less than five minutes remaining in the game, when Grahame (2-3-2) stopped Dixon Ward's rebound attempt
"I want to play," said Grahame, who won his second NHL game in just his seventh start. "I've gotten a taste of it up here and I have proved I deserve to be here. ... Three years is a long time to wait for Byron's contract to run out."
Biron made only his second start of the season for the Sabres, who were without five-time Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek. Biron (2-1) finished with 31 saves.
Hasek did not play after reaggravating a groin injury on Friday night that forced him to miss 12 games last season.
Ruff is not sure when Hasek will be returning.
"We are looking at weeks, not a matter of days," Ruff said.
Summary
----------------------------- Buffalo 0 0 0--0 Boston 2 1 0--3 ----------------------------- FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Boston, K Mclaren 2 (Axelsson, Bates), 8:46. 2, Boston, Samsonov 3 (Thornton, Dimaio), 9:32. Penalties: K Belanger, Bos (roughing), 0:17; Woolley, Buf (high sticking), 1:21; Zhitnik, Buf (holding), 6:46; Bates, Bos (Obstr holding), 18:17. SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Boston, Samsonov 4 (Thornton, Heinze), 15:55. Penalties: K Mclaren, Bos (interference), 10:10; B Holzinger, Buf (cross checking), 13:32; Sanderson, Buf (hooking), 19:51. THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: None. Penalties: Thornton, Bos (high sticking), 9:06; Sanderson, Buf (holding stick), 17:37. Shots on goal: --------------------------------- Buffalo 9 7 10--26 Boston 15 12 7--34 --------------------------------- Power-play Conversions: Buf - 0 of 4, Bos - 0 of 5. Goalies: Buffalo, Biron (34 shots, 31 saves; record: 2-1-0). Boston, Grahame (26, 26; record: 2-3-2). A:16,863. Referees: Faucette, Watson. Linesmen: Collins, Sericolo.
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