Sabres achieve best start in team’s history at 9-0-0

Chris Drury scored his 10th goal and the Buffalo Sabres set a team record by extending their season-opening winning streak to nine games with a 4-1 victory over the Canadiens on Monday night at Montreal.

The Sabres moved to within one victory of tying Toronto’s league record of 10 straight wins at the start of the 1993-94 season. Buffalo had matched its record of eight, set in 1975-76, with a victory in Boston on Saturday.

Ryan Miller made 26 saves, losing a bid for his first shutout of the season on Mike Johnson’s goal 9 minutes 6 seconds into the third period.

“We’re trying to have fun, that’s the main thing,” Miller said. “It’s early in the season, and we know from last year how much things can change.”

Drury, who had two points to tie Maxim Afinogenov for the team lead with 14, assisted on Jiri Novotny’s goal in the first period before scoring his seventh goal in five games to put Buffalo ahead 2-0 in the second period.

Dallas 2, Vancouver 1 -- Mike Modano scored the winning goal, Marty Turco had 33 saves and the host Stars achieved the best start in franchise history.

Dallas (8-1-0) topped the 7-1-1 mark it set in 1971 when the franchise was in Minneapolis.

Turco (7-1-0) is also tied for the NHL lead in wins.

San Jose 3, Columbus 0 -- Vesi Toskala ran his winning streak to 12 games with his fifth career shutout and Steve Bernier, Jonathan Cheechoo and Marcel Goc each had goals for the Sharks at Columbus, Ohio.

Toskala is 5-0-0 this season with a goals-against average of less than two. The 12-game winning streak is the longest in Sharks history. He has also won his last eight starts on the road.

Atlanta 6, Florida 3 -- Ilya Kovalchuk scored three power-play goals to help the visiting Thrashers (7-1-1) continue the best start in franchise history.

Edmonton 5, Phoenix 2 -- Petr Sykora had a goal and three assists to help keep the Oilers unbeaten (5-0) at home.