Victory May Cost Sabres Hasek for Rest of Series

Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek is expected to miss the rest of the Sabres’ first-round playoff series with the Ottawa Senators after suffering a sprained right knee Monday night.

Hasek twisted the knee during the Sabres’ 3-2 victory at Kanata, Canada.

Dixon Ward scored the winning goal with 20 seconds left as Buffalo took a 2-1 series lead.

Hasek’s injury came as Ottawa’s Sergei Zholtok scored on a power play at 15:33 of the second period to tie the score 1-1.

Hasek, a candidate to win the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player, said after the game, “I don’t feel I’ll be back next week, but who knows? Maybe I’ll feel better when I wake up, but right now I don’t think I’ll be back this series.”

The two-time Vezina trophy winner as the NHL’s top goalie was replaced by rookie Steve Shields, who promptly gave up the go-ahead goal by Alexei Yashin during another power play.

Sabre defenseman Darryl Shannon tied it at 11:51 of the third period, blasting a slap shot between Ron Tugnutt’s pads from the top of the face-off circle.

The Sabres pinned Ottawa in its own zone in the final minute of play, and Ward got the game-winner during a wild scramble in front of the Ottawa goal.

Philadelphia 5, Pittsburgh 3--Eric Lindros, John LeClair and Mikael Renberg--the Legion of Doom line--scored during a 40-shot flurry in the first two periods and the Flyers left the Penguins one loss from playoff elimination by winning at Pittsburgh.

The Flyers can accomplish Wednesday night what no team has done in the Mario Lemieux era--sweep Pittsburgh in a four-game playoff series. The Penguins had never trailed 3-0 in a series with Lemieux, who will retire at the end of the playoffs.

“I guess the odds aren’t in our favor,” Lemieux said.

Jaromir Jagr scored twice as the Penguins took a 2-1 lead after the first period despite 28 shots by the Flyers, a playoff record for one period by Philadelphia.

But the Flyers again owned the second period to open a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series. Pat Falloon tied it, Lindros gave them the lead and LeClair put it out of reach as the Flyers scored three consecutive goals, giving them a 5-0 edge in the second period so far.