Miller lifts Sabres to 3-1 win

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Ryan Miller made 35 saves to help the Buffalo Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Friday night.

Jordan Leopold, Thomas Vanek and Patrick Kaleta scored for Buffalo. The Sabres improved to 9-12-3, snapping a two-game losing streak and beating Toronto for the 16th time in their last 19 meetings.

Miller returned from a two-game absence because of a minor groin injury, and improved to 23-8-0 lifetime against the Maple Leafs.

Jonas Gustavsson made 25 saves for Toronto, 8-10-3 overall and winless in its last seven road games.

Phil Kessel spoiled Miller's shutout bid with 3:27 left when he scored a short-handed goal after a giveaway by Leopold.

With Buffalo up 2-0 after the first period, Miller single-handedly preserved the two-goal advantage through the second period. He turned aside all 15 shots the Maple Leafs sent his way in the middle frame, while the Sabres were held without a shot for a 16-minute span in the period.

Buffalo struck first with a pair of power-play goals 1:45 apart in the first period to take a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Leopold opened the scoring with his sixth of the season, ripping a slap shot from the middle of the blue line past Gustavsson at 6:05 of the opening period. It was Buffalo's first shot of the game.

Vanek then gave the Sabres a two-goal edge while Buffalo was up two men, potting his ninth of the year with a slap shot from the top of the left circle.

Kaleta upped Buffalo's lead to 3-0 with a short-handed goal with 9:02 left in the third period. The Sabres' tough guy backhanded in a rebound for his third of the season after Gustavsson stopped Paul Gaustad's slap shot from the left circle.

NOTES: Sabres C Tim Connolly missed his second straight game because of a groin injury. ... Buffalo finished its four-game homestand with a 2-2-0 mark. ... Toronto RW Mike Brown was scratched after taking a shot in the midsection during Wednesday's practice. ... The Sabres have scored on their first shot in two of their last three games. ... Buffalo came in with the 28th ranked power-play unit at home after converting on only five of its 46 man-advantage opportunities (10.9 percent).