Frolik fuels surging Panthers

Vokoun keeps Sabres at bay

November 19, 2009|Associated Press

Michael Frolik scored twice, Dominic Moore and Rostislav Olesz had a goal and an assist each, and Tomas Vokoun made 26 saves in the surging Florida Panthers’ 6-2 victory over the Sabres last night in Buffalo.

Stephen Weiss and Cory Stillman also scored for the Panthers (8-9-2), who have turned things around after a 2-7-1 start. Florida, which beat Buffalo for the first time in five games, is 6-2-1 in its last nine games.

Drew Stafford and Clarke MacArthur scored, and Ryan Miller made 18 saves for Buffalo (12-5-1), which was denied in its attempt to string together a four-game winning streak for the third time this season.

Stafford opened the scoring with his sixth goal with 5:37 left in the first period. Stafford skated toward the net from the lower portion of the right circle before lifting the puck over Vokoun, who was on his knees. Frolik tied it four minutes later, netting his fifth goal on a one-timer from the high slot.

Weiss gave the Panthers a 2-1 edge 1:21 into the second period. After stopping Frolik’s wrist shot, Miller swatted the puck right to Weiss, who deposited it into an empty net. Stillman upped Florida’s lead with his sixth midway through the third, converting a two-on-one with Steven Reinprecht, before MacArthur made it 3-2 with 5:43 to go in regulation with a power-play goal.

Frolik, Olesz, and Moore iced the game with late third-period goals.

Florida defenseman Keith Ballard had three assists.

Stars 3, Red Wings 1 - Alex Auld made 31 saves and Mike Ribeiro, Matt Niskanen, and Loui Eriksson scored in Dallas’s victory over host Detroit.

Brad Richards and James Neal each had two assists for the Stars.

Henrik Zetterberg scored for Detroit, and Jimmy Howard stopped 29 shots. The loss snapped the Red Wings’ winning streak at three.

Oilers 6, Avalanche 4 - Ryan Potulny and Patrick O’Sullivan scored third-period goals and host Edmonton overcame a two-goal deficit to beat Colorado.

After Sam Gagner pulled the Oilers within one with 16 seconds remaining in the second period, Potulny tied it on a power play at 2:45 of the third. O’Sullivan gave Edmonton a 5-4 lead with 8:53 left, and Ales Hemsky added an empty-net goal.

Shawn Horcoff and Gilbert Brule also scored for Edmonton. The Oilers (9-10-3) ended a four-game losing streak with their third victory in their last 13 games.

Coyotes 3, Wild 2 - Radim Vrbata had a goal and an assist and Ilya Bryzgalov made 24 saves in Phoenix’s victory over Minnesota in St. Paul.

The Wild’s Antti Miettinen tied it at 2 with 4:58 to play, but Phoenix countered 19 seconds later, with Scotty Upshall blasting in the rebound of Keith Yandle’s shot.

Flyers 3, Kings 2 - James van Riemsdyk scored 1:47 into the third period to lead visiting Philadelphia.

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