BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Daniel Alfredsson has an intimidating message for
the rest of the NHL.
"I don't think we hit our peak yet," he said after Ottawa's 10-4 win
over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. "I think we can get better."
Alfredsson and Martin Havlat each scored four goals, and Dany Heatley
added two more for the Senators, who won for the ninth time in 11
games. They are off to their best start since entering the league as an
expansion team in 1992.
Alfredsson tied a pair of team records and set career highs with four
goals and six points. It was the first career four-goal game for Havlat
as well, and the third time in three games a Senators player has scored
four times. Heatley had four goals in an 8-0 win over Toronto on
Saturday.
"When the team plays well, good things happen for the individuals as
well," Alfredsson said. "I got some good breaks tonight and was able to
put them away."
It was also the first time in franchise history that Ottawa had two
four-goal scorers in one game. The 10 goals were a season high and the
second-most in franchise history.
Alfredsson's comments aside, it's hard to imagine Ottawa playing much
better, especially after its offensive display against the Sabres.
"To have two guys score that many goals, I don't know if I've ever been
around that type of thing," Senators coach Bryan Murray said. "It is
amazing and different, and doesn't happen very often."
Heatley extended his club-record point streak to begin a season to 11
games, and Jason Spezza had a career-high four assists.
It was the fifth career hat trick for both Alfredsson and Havlat.
Playing for the first time since serving a five-game suspension for
kicking Boston defenseman Hal Gill, Havlat took to heart some criticism
from general manager John Muckler earlier this week.
"I wanted to play a hard game tonight," Havlat said. "They just kept
going in and I was pretty happy with that."
Muckler wanted to see more of Havlat's skills come out on the ice, and
Havlat responded convincingly against the Sabres.
"The idea of having a group of players do well is having them respond
to a little criticism," Murray said. "He took advantage of it tonight
to have a big night."
Jay McKee, Chris Drury, Ales Kotalik and Daniel Briere scored for
Buffalo, which has dropped three of its last four.
The Sabres were without scheduled starting goalie Ryan Miller, who
broke his thumb during Buffalo's morning skate and is expected to miss
at least six weeks.
Martin Biron made the emergency start in place of Miller but didn't
last long, allowing three goals on the first six shots he faced. Biron
was lifted after seven minutes in favor of Mika Noronen, who dressed
for the first time this season after being scratched for Buffalo's
first 11 games.
Noronen allowed four goals on 17 shots before Biron came back in net to
start the third period.
"Buffalo's goaltending wasn't the best they had, and we took advantage
of that," Alfredsson said. "When you get off on the wrong foot, it's
tough to get back, and I think that's what we did to their goalies."
Heatley opened the scoring just 34 seconds in, beating Biron from close
in on Ottawa's first shot. Havlat followed with his first of the game
on the Senators' third shot less than three minutes later.
Heatley chased Biron after outmuscling Thomas Vanek in front of the
net, putting his own rebound past the goalie.
Buffalo got back into the game with three consecutive goals in the
second to pull to 5-3 before the Senators scored four consecutive
goals. Alfredsson scored three times during that stretch and capped the
scoring with his 11th goal of the season with four minutes remaining.
"I was ready to go, but it was just one of those nights," Biron said.
"You can't dig yourself a hole like that and expect to come out."
Ottawa goalie Ray Emery made his third start in place of Dominik Hasek
-- and has won all three. Emery improved to 6-0-0 in his brief NHL
career.
"You make mistakes and you're going to get burned -- and we got
burned," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.
Game notes
Sabres D Toni Lydman (groin) and LW Taylor Pyatt (mild concussion) each
missed a second consecutive game due to injury. ... The Senators are
7-1 when scoring first. ... Briere tied a career-high eight-game point
streak with an assist on McKee's goal. ... Senators D Anton Volchenkov
missed his first game with a rib injury sustained in Sunday's loss to
Philadelphia. ... Buffalo RW Mike Grier did not return after sustaining
a hip flexor in the first period.