Streaking Sabres blitz Lightning

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This article was published 20/03/2012 (5240 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TAMPA, Fla. — Marcus Foligno and Jason Pominville each scored twice and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-3 Monday night.

Foligno had two of Buffalo’s four second-period goals, helping the Sabres take a 6-2 lead. Pominville scored in the first as the Sabres went up 2-0, and made it 7-2 on a goal 17 seconds into the third.

Drew Stafford, Corey Tropp and Brad Boyes had the other Buffalo goals. The Sabres are 4-1-2 over their last seven games and remain two points behind Washington for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Bruno Gervais, Trevor Smith and Ryan Malone scored for the Lightning, who have lost six of seven. Tampa Bay is playing without eight injured regulars, including goalie Mathieu Garon (groin) and captain Vincent Lecavalier (hand).

Pominville has 16 goals and 35 points in 27 games against Tampa Bay.

Stafford also had two assists, and has two goals and nine points during a four-game point streak. Foligno has five goals and seven points over his last five games.

Thomas Vanek had two assists, giving the Buffalo left-winger 23 goals and 10 assists in 28 games against the Lightning. Sabres centre Cody Hodgson also had two assists for his first points in 13 games.

Tampa Bay rookie Dustin Tokarski was pulled midway through the second after allowing four goals on 15 shots, and was replaced by Dwayne Roloson.

Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller, who lost the first three games of the season series, improved to 18-7-0 in 25 games overall against the Lightning.

NOTES: Sabres C Tyler Ennis had two assists, giving him nine points over a five-game point streak… Buffalo D Tyler Myers served the final game of a three-game suspension for an illegal hit from behind… Tampa Bay announced the signing of G Sebastien Caron, who had been playing in Germany. The Lightning also signed Harvard F Alex Killorn to a two-year contract, and recalled LW Pierre-Cedric Labrie from Norfolk of the AHL… Buffalo signed F Phil Varone, currently with Rochester of the AHL, to a three-year, entry-level contract.

— The Associated Press