Sabres Rise Up Against the Ducks

Just when it looked as if the Mighty Ducks were turning a corner, they play a game like they did Wednesday, losing, 4-0, to the lowly Buffalo Sabres.

In losing for the second time in as many nights, the Ducks failed to mount any offensive punch against Buffalo goaltender Martin Biron, who made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season in front of an announced crowd of 10,433 at HSBC Arena.

“You’re not going to win every game, but effort is something that’s controllable,” captain Paul Kariya said about the Ducks, who are 1-3-3-1 over their last eight games, including a 2-1 loss at Detroit on Tuesday. “We didn’t have a good effort tonight for whatever reason. Partly mental and partly physical.”

Buffalo, which has a league-low 15 points this season, received a huge game from center Curtis Brown, who scored three goals for his first hat trick this season. Winger Jean-Pierre Dumont added the other goal for the Sabres, who outshot the Ducks, 36-22.

Brown who has six goals in nine games since sitting out Nov. 12, notched the ninth multiple-goal game of his career. The shutout was the 12th of Biron’s career.

“They were a desperate team and we didn’t match their desperation,” Kariya said.

After a scoreless first period, which featured three power-play opportunities for the Ducks, Buffalo took a 1-0 lead early in the second when Dumont beat goaltender Martin Gerber, who started in place of Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

Despite being surrounded by Duck defensemen Kurt Sauer and Keith Carney, Dumont was able to get off a shot from the top of the crease to score at 5:13. It was his fifth goal this season.

“[Buffalo forward Stu] Barnes had the puck behind the net and tried to pass it off the stick of [Dumont] in front, and I had that covered,” Sauer said. “But the puck hit off our goalie in front and it went straight ahead behind my back and [Dumont] just backed up and backhanded it in.”

The Sabres, who extended their unbeaten streak to six games against the Ducks, scored again later in the period.

With Buffalo on a power play, Brown was left alone at the right circle and scored off a rebound at 16:52.

The goal ended the Sabres’ 0-for-28 slump with a man advantage, dating to Nov. 19 at New Jersey.

The Ducks, who dropped to 1-7-1 when they trail after two periods, watched any chance for a comeback disappear when Brown scored his second goal of the game with a blast from the right wing 23 seconds into the third period.

Brown, who had only three goals before Wednesday’s game, finished the Ducks at 12:47 when he scored his third goal while diving to the ice near the slot.

Gerber had made a pad save on Miroslav Satan’s shot from the point, and Brian Campbell leaped across the slot to provide a screen as Brown fired the rebound into the net.

“This was a huge game for [the Sabres],” Duck Coach Mike Babcock said. “They came out and outworked us from the start to the end. They deserve credit for that.”

The Ducks, who have already played four sets of games on successive days this season, conclude their three-game trip Friday at Chicago.

“We can’t use [the schedule] as an excuse because everyone in the league has to play back-to-back games,” Kariya said. “You just have to win those games.”