06-03-2016, 02:49 AM
BUFFALO, N. Glen Rice Jersey .Y. -- After netting the lone shootout goal in Colorados 5-4 victory over Buffalo on Wednesday, Peter Mueller had difficulty digesting how quickly the Avalanches fortunes turned. Thanks to Jamie McGinn scoring with 2 seconds remaining in regulation and Colorados near-perfect shootout record this season, the Avalanche went from losing ground in Western Conference playoff hunt to vaulting out of a four-team log-jam for eighth place. "This is the biggest win of the year," Mueller said. "To go from zero points to getting two with seconds left, you dont make that stuff up. It just shows the character of this team in that we never quit." The win gives Colorado 80 points through 72 games and moves the Avalanche back into a playoff spot. McGinn, who scored twice, was equally pleased. "We knew how important this game was to stay in the hunt," McGinn said. "And we got the job done." It was a different story for the Sabres, who lamented how costly the lost point in the standings might affect their late-season playoff push. Buffalo (33-29-9) is three points behind eighth-place Washington in the East. "Frustrating," coach Lindy Ruff said. "You play with fire, youll get burnt. We should have had a D in front of the net, and one of the defencemen were behind the net." Ruff was referring to McGinns tying goal, which came during a wild scramble in front. Gabriel Landeskog gained the zone and got a shot off that Ryan Miller stopped with his blocker. The puck eventually went to the right corner, where Ryan OReilly took a bad-angle shot that sneaked between Millers pad and the post. The puck trickled into the crease, and McGinn swept it in. It was reminiscent of the Sabres 3-2 overtime win over Montreal on Monday night in which Buffalo allowed the Canadiens to tie it with 5 seconds remaining. Only this time, the Sabres lost. Muellers decisive shootout goal came on the Avalanches second attempt. He snapped a shot that beat Miller on the glove side. Semyon Varlamov then secured the victory by stopping Tyler Ennis drive to the net. "I jumped in the air like we won the Stanley Cup," Varlamov said. "It was huge. We never gave up." Varlamov made 20 saves through overtime, and improved to 8-0 in the tiebreaker. Landeskog had a goal and assist, and David Jones scored for the Avalanche (38-30-4), who improved to 9-1 in shootouts this season, and 20-2 since December 2009. Rookie Marcus Foligno scored twice for Buffalo, which had a season-best five-game home winning streak snapped. Drew Stafford had a goal and two assists, Ennis had three assists, and Alexander Sulzer also scored for the Sabres. "We just have to be in desperation mode at all times," said Miller, who made 38 saves. "Four goals should win. They got a couple of fortunate bounces." The loss spoiled a big night for Foligno, who scored twice with his father -- former Sabres captain Mike Foligno -- in the stands. Fans initially thought he had scored a third goal, and littered the ice with hats in the third period. But the goal that put Buffalo ahead 4-3 was credited to Sulzer, as replays showed the puck went off the stick of Colorado defenceman Matt Hunwick, and not Foligno. Foligno gave the crowd a big reason to cheer when he scored his first of the game 1:39 in. He slipped in front, while attempting to handle Ennis centring pass, and the puck caromed off his skate and Jones skate. Upon scoring, Foligno jumped up and down once, mimicking his fathers goal celebration. "It was good effort by us, but in the end it was a tough pill to swallow," Foligno said. It was a back-and-forth game with the Sabres squandering two one-goal leads in the first period. Landeskog put the Avalanche ahead 3-2 with a power-play goal 5:35 into the second period. Foligno then tied it less than six minutes later. NOTES: Sabres D Tyler Myers began serving a three-game NHL suspension for a hit against Montreal on Monday. With Andrej Sekera (pneumonia) missing his fifth game, the Sabres recalled rookie Brayden McNabb from AHL Rochester. McNabb had a goal and four assists in 20 games with Buffalo earlier this season. ... The Avalanche opened a three-game road trip, and in the midst of a 16 games in 30-day stretch. ... Sabres C Nathan Gerbe didnt play due to an undisclosed upper body injury. Cody McCormick took his spot, returning to the lineup after missing 16 games with a concussion. ... With speculation that NFL free-agent DE Mario Williams was in attendance, fans chanted "We want Mario!" Williams has spent two days negotiating with the Bills. Gerald Green Heat Jersey . The Anaheim Ducks announced on Thursday that the centre agreed to a three-year contract extension. Mario Chalmers Jersey . The NFC East rivals hope to save face Sunday night at FedEx Field. You can see all the action on TSN beginning at 8pm et/5pm pt. Washington is a disappointing 3-8 on the season and has lost three in a row, including Monday nights 27-6 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers in the first of three straight games in D.MAUER, Austria -- The Canadian mens soccer team is still looking for an elusive win, but for now a pair of draws against European opponents is progress enough for head coach Benito Floro. Canada played to its second-straight 1-1 draw Tuesday, coming from behind to tie Moldova in a friendly. Canada also tied Bulgaria 1-1 in a friendly last week. Tuesdays result means Canadas 16-game winless streak that dates back to October 2012 remains intact as the team still searches for its first win in seven games under Floros leadership. Still, Floro said he was pleased with aspects of Canadas game. "I am happy because the team is progressing, and the players are happy because they can see the progress," he said. "For us it isnt important to be looking at the results right now, that will take time." Things got off to poor start for Canada when Moldovas Eugeniu Sidorenco, left unmarked in the penalty area, nodded the ball past Canadian goalie Milan Borjan in the seventh minute. The goal came from what was seemingly a non-threatening position for Moldova, but the Canadian pairing of Adam Straith and Andre Hainault in central defence allowed Sidorenco too much space in front of the goal. With Canada having only scored one goal in the last 14 months, it looked early on as if it could be a long evening in the Austrian rain for Floros side. But striker Tosaint Ricketts found himself in the right place at the right time to tie the game just two minutes later. Pedro Pacheco floated a corner to the back post where Hainault rose the highest to nod it back in front of the goal to Ricketts, who kicked it home from five yards out. "It always feels great to score for your country,&qquot; Ricketts said. Amare Stoudemire Heat Jersey. "Floro has been driving home tactical set-pieces and corners and we executed well." The game then settled and it wasnt until Atiba Hutchinson hit the crossbar late in the first half that either team came close to scoring again. Canadian right-back Nik Ledgerwood curled a bending free kick towards the back post where Hutchinson used his thigh to nudge a shot toward the goal, but it hit the top of the bar. Following the halftime break it was Canada who asserted the control of the game, stringing together some tidy possession without ever really threatening to penetrate the well-organized Moldovan defence. The Moldovans produced the best two chances of the second half on the counter-attack. Alexandru Antoniuc forced a big save from Borjan with a firm drive midway through the second half, before Eugeniu Cebotaru fired a dangerous shot just wide of the left post from 22 yards. Despite dominating possession throughout the final stage of the game, Canada was unable to carve out a clear-cut opportunity. Addressing Canadas long-standing offensive woes, Floro said he is on the hunt for fresh attacking talent. "We have to find a away to keep creating more chances and we will continue looking for another striker who can come in and help Ricketts and Simeon Jackson," Floro said. Canada is ranked 110th in the world to Moldovas 99th. Canada had been looking to notch its first win since a 3-0 win over Cuba towards the end of its futile World Cup Qualifying campaign in October 2012. The Canadian team will now disband for the summer ahead of its return to home turf for Septembers friendly against Jamaica at BMO Field in Toronto. 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