The struggling Buffalo Sabres snapped the Toronto Maple Leafs four-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory over their Northeast division rival at the First Niagara Center Friday. The win avenges a 2-0 loss to Toronto Tuesday and ends a three-game losing streak for the Sabres, who have won just three of their last 12 games to sit 19-19-5 for the season. Buffalo gained the early advantage with two goals on their first three shots against Toronto goalie Jonas Gustavsson, who earned a shutout on Tuesday. Matt Ellis scored a minute into the game when his centering pass deflected off Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Franson. Paul Gaustad then doubled the lead three minutes later with a wrist shot from distance that Gustavsson probably should have saved. The Maple Leafs got back on level terms late in the period with goals by Mikhail Grabovsky and Joey Crabb. The Sabres scored the game-winner in the second period when Jason Pominville converted a beautiful pass from Thomas Vanek, who threaded the puck through two Maple Leafs defenders. Buffalo's penalty killers held off the Maple Leafs through four shorthanded situations and goalie Ryan Miller made 24 stops, nine of them in the final period, to help deliver the win. Capitals 4, Lightning 3: Troy Brouwer got his first career hat trick, and Alex Ovechkin also scored Friday night as the Washington Capitals took a 4-3 victory that handed the Tampa Bay Lightning a sixth straight loss. Brouwer scored in each period for the Capitals, who have won six straight at home and six of eight overall to move back into playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Steven Stamkos scored his league-leading 30th goal, and Tom Pyatt and Vincent Lecavalier also scored for the Lightning, who have yet to win in 2012. Blue Jackets 4, Coyotes 3: Derick Brassard had a goal and an assist to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a victory over the Phoenix Coyotes, giving Todd Richards a win in his home debut as interim head coach. Rick Nash also scored and Tomas Kubalik and Ryan Russell each had their first NHL goals for the Blue Jackets, who fired second-year head coach Scott Arniel on Monday and elevated Richards to replace him. Curtis Sanford had 32 saves for the Blue Jackets, who had lost two in a row and four of five. Lauri Korpikoski had a goal and two assists, Radim Vrbata a goal and a helper and Oliver Ekman-Larsson two assists for the the Coyotes, who have lost four road games in a row. Adrian Aucoin also scored. Penguins 4, Panthers 1: Evgeni Malkin scored late in the second period and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Florida Panthers. In another games, Anaheim Ducks blanked Edmonton Oilers 5-0.
