Miller, Sabres shut down Atlanta

Ryan Miller made 20 saves for his fifth career shutout, Tim Connolly and Brian Campbell each had a goal and two assists, and the Sabres got their first win of the season, a 6-0 victory over the winless Atlanta Thrashers last night in Buffalo.

Derek Roy, Ales Kotalik, and Daniel Paille added a goal and an assist each, and Jason Pominville also scored for the Sabres, who had lost their first two games of the season. Buffalo scored three power-play goals in the first period.

The Thrashers, last season's Southeast Division champs, have dropped their first four games of the season, their worst start since losing nine straight to open the 2002-03 season.

Atlanta goalie Kari Lehtonen finished with 15 saves before being lifted for Johan Hedberg to start the third period. Hedberg made seven saves.

The Thrashers were without forward Marian Hossa for the second straight game. Hossa hurt his groin during practice Monday.

The Sabres netted the game's first three goals in a 9:07 span in the first period, starting with Kotalik's power-play goal three minutes in. Making his season debut after missing the first two games with a knee injury, Kotalik shoveled the puck into an open net while standing next to the left post 2 feet from the goal line.

Coyotes 6, Predators 3 - Fredrik Sjostrom scored two goals and Derek Morris, Martin Hanzal, and Radim Vrbata each had a goal and an assist to lead Phoenix to victory in Nashville.

Morris got the Coyotes on the board first at 14:18 of the first period with a power-play goal. His slap shot from the left point glanced off of the right goal post and into the Nashville goal. Morris was aided by Craig Weller, who planted his 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound body in front of Nashville goalie Chris Mason to set the perfect screen.

The Coyotes ended the night with two power-play goals in five opportunities.

Maple Leafs 8, Islanders 1 - Mats Sundin set two Toronto records on one play and the host Maple Leafs rebounded from an embarrassing loss with a victory over New York.

Two nights after Toronto's 7-1 home loss to Carolina, Sundin scored his 390th goal for his 917th point to break the ties he shared with Darryl Sittler for club records in both categories.

It wasn't a pretty goal. In fact, it was an attempted pass. The puck caromed off the skate blade of Islanders defenseman Brendan Witt and past Wade Dubielewicz at 9:54 of the third period. When Sundin went to the bench, his teammates stood and banged their sticks against the boards while the announced crowd of 19,319 stood and cheered the captain.

Panthers 3, Devils 0 - Tomas Vokoun stopped 28 shots and host Florida snapped a season-opening three-game losing streak with a victory over New Jersey.

Rostislav Olesz, Olli Jokinen, and Nathan Horton scored for the Panthers, whose 0-3 start matched the worst in franchise history.

Martin Brodeur made 28 saves for the Devils, whose 1-3 start is their worst since the 2001-02 season. New Jersey is opening the season on a nine-game road trip while construction is completed on its new arena.

Florida outshot New Jersey, 31-29, the fourth time in four games the Panthers outshot their opponent.

Hurricanes 5, Senators 3 - Erik Cole scored twice and Chad Larose had three assists, helping visiting Carolina end Ottawa's season-opening five-game winning streak.

Cam Ward stopped 27 shots and Matt Cullen and Rod Brind'Amour also scored for Carolina, which improved to 3-1-1 overall.

Cole, who opened the scoring with his first goal of the season on a power play in the first period, got his second goal 6:35 into the third to put Carolina up, 4-1.