Fitzpatrick nets third-period game-winner

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Rory Fitzpatrick redeemed himself with one slap shot.

Fitzpatrick's third-period power-play goal and Martin Biron's 23 saves gave the Buffalo Sabres a 3-2 victory Friday night that ended the Ottawa Senators' 11-game unbeaten streak.

The loss snapped Ottawa's franchise-tying unbeaten streak built on nine wins and two ties as well as its six-game winning streak and seven-game road unbeaten streak.

Fitzpatrick, who had three penalties earlier in the game, scored his second goal of the season with 2:47 remaining, sending Buffalo to their third win in six games (3-1-2).

Standing at the right point, Fitzpatrick's blast went through a couple of players -- including Buffalo's Chris Drury -- that were standing in front of Ottawa goaltender Patrick Lalime, who never saw the puck.

"You never want to put your team behind with a penalty, but three is pretty extensive," said Fitzpatrick, who scored for the second time in four games. "But it was good to get that goal."

J.P. Dumont and Daniel Briere also scored power-play goals for the Sabres, 3-1-2 in their last six games.

Todd White and Martin Havlat scored 25 seconds apart in the third period for Ottawa, which lost for the first time since Dec. 13.

"Both goalies made some great saves," said White, who has points in nine of his last 10 games. "Tonight, the last team with the break ended up winning it."

After a scoreless first period in which Biron and Lalime traded stops, Dumont finally broke through with his 12th of the year with 2:35 remaining in the second.

Accepting a pass from linemate Briere on his off-wing at the blue line, Dumont skated in and, with the puck on edge, let go a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Lalime high on the glove side.

"Almost every goal I've scored on Lalime I've gone top shelf," Dumont said. "That's my sweet spot, especially when I've got time to shoot."

Briere made it 2-0 with his 13th of the season 4:51 into the third.

Ottawa, coming off a 7-1 win over Toronto on Thursday, came storming back, and finally solved Biron with less than six minutes remaining.

Havlat scored his ninth on the power play at 14:04 and White followed with his eighth of the season, tying the game at 2.

But after Jason Spezza was sent off for cross-checking, Fitzpatrick soon tallied the game-winner.

"To battle back and tie it and then to give it up is frustrating," White said.

Buffalo, has now earned points in eight of its last 10 games after enduring a seven-game losing streak last month.

"In early December, we found a way to lose that," Briere said. "Tonight, we found a way to win."

Lalime, starting for the first time in three games, finished with 29 saves for the Senators, who hadn't lost on the road since Nov. 23 against the New York Rangers.

"It had to come to an end eventually," Spezza said about all of Ottawa's streaks. "Unfortunately it was tonight."

The Sabres are 5-2-2 since snapping an eight game winless streak, while Biron is 3-1-2 since taking over the No. 1 goaltending duties from Mika Noronen, who is out with a groin injury.

"I thought Marty was very solid for us," Sabres' coach Lindy Ruff said. "He made some very good saves for us tonight and that's what we need."

Game notes
Buffalo D Doug Janik played his first game of the season after being promoted from AHL Rochester earlier in the day. ... Buffalo was missing D Jay McKee, who has a bruised knee. ... Ottawa has gone 22 games without allowing more than three goals, the longest streak in the league this season. ... Buffalo defensemen have now scored in three-consecutive games for the second time this season.