Daniel Briere and Chris Drury each scored a power-play goal, and Martin Biron made 33 saves last night to lift the visiting Buffalo Sabres to a 3-1 victory against the New York Rangers.
Ales Kotalik added an empty-net goal with 36.6 seconds left to help the Sabres win for the fourth time in their past five games and pull within five points of the New York Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Dale Purinton scored for the fading Rangers, who have lost six of their past seven games.
Mike Dunham returned from his concussion after missing two games and made 32 saves for New York.
It was Briere's 16th goal this season, but his first in the past eight games.
Other game
Maple Leafs 4, Thrashers 1: Toronto's Trevor Kidd made 25 saves in a rare start as the visiting Maple Leafs beat struggling Atlanta. Alexei Ponikarovsky and Gary Roberts scored less than three minutes apart late in the second period to put the Maple Leafs ahead, 3-1, and Matt Stajan finished off the Thrashers with a goal about 7? minutes into the third. The Thrashers have two wins in their past 16 games. Kidd (4-1-1) made his seventh start this season.
Thursday's late game
Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay each had a goal and an assist as the visiting Colorado Avalanche tied the Los Angeles Kings, 3-3.
First Published: January 31, 2004, 5:00 a.m.