Vanek scores 4 goals, leads Sabres to 5-2 win over host Senators

Vanek scores 4 goals in Sabres’ win over Senators

OTTAWA — Thomas Vanek scored four goals and the Buffalo Sabres snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Ottawa Senators with a 5-2 win Saturday night.

The Sabres spoiled the celebration for Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, who recently played his 1,000th NHL game. Vanek stole the show in his first game after sitting out six due to a lower body injury.

Alfredsson, who played in game No. 1,002 on Saturday, became the 44th NHL player to appear in 1,000 games with one franchise.

Derek Roy also scored for the Sabres, and Ryan Miller made 28 saves for his 41st win. Buffalo will play at New Jersey on Sunday with a chance to claim the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Chris Neil and Shean Donovan scored and Pascal Leclaire made 23 saves for the Senators, who will be the fifth-seeded team in the East and face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs.

Roy gave the Sabres a 5-1 lead at 10:16 of the third period when he backhanded in a shot from the slot.

With less than seven minutes left, Donovan picked up a rebound and put a backhander past Miller for the game’s final goal.

The Sabres led 2-0 entering the second period when Neil took a terrific behind-the-net pass from Peter Regin. The puck landed on Neil’s stick for the easy tap in and the Senators’ first goal of the game. Neil reached the 10-goal mark for the third time.

Vanek responded by scoring two more before the end of the period. His first came at 8:57, a little more than a minute after Neil scored, on a penalty shot. After being slashed by Senators defenseman Andy Sutton on a breakaway, Vanek was awarded the shot and beat Leclaire on the backhand.

Four minutes later on a Sabres power play, Vanek batted a puck out of the air past Leclaire for a 4-1 Sabres lead.

The Sabres’ sniper also scored the only two goals of the first period. He beat Leclaire at 9:14 on a rebound and at 12:32 when he redirected Derek Roy’s pass into the top corner.

NOTES: Before the game, Alfredsson was presented with a custom painting by artist Tony Harris from the Senators organization, a silver puck from Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, and a silver stick from his teammates. He was also awarded two crystal awards from the NHL commemorating his 1,000th game and 600th assist. … Alfredsson has scored 20 or more goals in 10 straight seasons. … Alfredsson scored the first playoff goal in Senators history in 1997 against the Sabres. … The Sabres are the only NHL team unbeaten this season when leading after two periods (30-0-0).