Senators top Sabres, 5-2

Oleg Saprykin helped the Ottawa Senators further shed their label as underachievers and get a jump on the rival Buffalo Sabres.

After Ottawa squandered a two-goal lead, Saprykin ended a tie 7 minutes 41 seconds into the third period of a 5-2 win Thursday in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals. Dean McAmmond, Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson had a goal and assist each, and Mike Fisher had a short-handed goal for the Senators, who improved to 9-2 in this postseason.

It wasn’t easy, considering the top-seeded Sabres rallied from a 2-0 deficit on goals by Maxim Afinogenov and Toni Lydman. Buffalo then wilted, giving up three goals -- including McAmmond’s empty-netter -- in the last 12 minutes. It was the Sabres’ most lopsided loss since a 4-0 defeat against Carolina in Game 4 of last year’s conference finals.

Ray Emery shut the door on the NHL’s most potent offense, stopping 18 shots.