Saturday's key NHL matchup notes
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Washington Capitals at Buffalo Sabres
Sabres goalie Ryan Miller is 4-1-0 with a 2.94 goals-against average in six career games against the Capitals, including 3-0-0 with a 1.68 GAA in his last three.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Toronto Maple Leafs
Sidney Crosby has been limited to two assists in his first three games. He managed only three shots on goal in the first two games but registered six shots in a 3-2 loss to Montreal Wednesday.
Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens (2-0-1) started their season with three straight road games and earned at least a point in each, including a 3-2 overtime win over Carolina (3-1-1) in its season opener on Oct. 3.
Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers
Jason Spezza has a team-high 10 points - all assists - and has registered at least one in each of Ottawa's six games. Daniel Alfredsson has a five-game goal-scoring streak versus New York. Dany Heatley has seven goals and nine assists in nine lifetime games at MSG.
New York Islanders at Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia's top line of Briere centering Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble has combined for eight goals and nine assists already.
New Jersey Devils at Atlanta Thrashers
Thrashers forward Marian Hossa missed his second straight game with a groin injury. Hossa, who had team highs of 43 goals and 57 assists last season, is day-to-day.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers
The Lightning are 3-0 for the first time since 2003-04, when they opened with six straight wins en route to a Stanley Cup title. The only other time Tampa Bay started 3-0 was 2002-03, when they won the Southeast Division and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators
The Predators (2-2-0) have struggled defensively lately. After outscoring opponents 9-1 to open the season with back-to-back wins, they've been outscored 10-4 in consecutive losses.
Dallas Stars at Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, who has been in net for all four of Chicago's games, made 34 saves on Friday against Detroit and has posted a 1.98 goals-against average on the season.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Colorado Avalanche
Columbus is the league's only team that has not allowed a power-play goal, stopping all 17 of its opponents' opportunities with the man advantage.
Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have been outscored 11-3 in two losses with Roberto Luongo starting both times. A 47-game winner last season, Luongo has a 5.44 GAA at home so far in 2007-08.
Minnesota Wild at Phoenix Coyotes
The Wild are 3-0 for the second straight season, but have opened a season with three straight regulation wins for the first time in their history.
Boston Bruins at San Jose Sharks
San Jose has two wins and a tie in its last three home openers. The Sharks posted 25 of their Western Conference high-tying 51 wins last season at home.
Hockey Today - October 13
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCOREBOARD Saturday, Oct. 13
Ottawa at N.Y. Rangers (7 p.m. EDT). The Senators shut out the Rangers 2-0 seven days ago.
STARS Friday
-Phil Kessel, Bruins, scored three goals for his first career hat trick and Boston beat Los Angeles 8-6.
-Matthew Lombardi, Flames, scored twice, including the overtime winner that gave Calgary a 3-2 victory at Dallas.
-Robert Lang, Blackhawks, scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and Chicago rallied for a 3-2 win at Detroit.
-Jaromir Jagr, Rangers, assisted on all three goals in New York's 3-1 win over Washington.
STRONG PUNISHMENT
Philadelphia forward Jesse Boulerice was suspended 25 games by the NHL on Friday for striking Vancouver's Ryan Kesler across the face with his stick, the longest single-season ban in league history. Boulerice is the second Flyer in two weeks to draw a long suspension - rookie Steve Downie was suspended 20 games for an intentional hit against Ottawa. In 1998, Boulerice was suspended for one year by the Ontario Hockey League for violent stick-swinging.
LASTING LEGACE
St. Louis goalie Manny Legace improved to 12-1 lifetime against Colorado after making 24 saves in Friday night's 4-1 win. His career goals-against average against the Avalanche is 1.85.
MORE FROM MODANO
Mike Modano scored for Dallas in Friday night's 3-2 overtime loss to Calgary to move within four points of matching Phil Housley's record for U.S.-born players. Modano's first goal of the season gave him 1,228 career points in 1,243 games and 508 goals for his career, the most for any U.S.-born player.
REMEMBER ME?
Robert Lang haunted his former team for the second time in less than a week on Friday night, scoring the go-ahead goal midway through the third period to help Chicago defeat Detroit 3-2. On Saturday, Lang tied the game late in the third period before the Blackhawks defeated the Red Wings 4-3 in a shootout.
POWERING UP
The New York Rangers scored all three of their goals with the man-advantage in Friday night's 3-1 win over Washington. The Rangers had failed in all 15 power-play chances over the season's first three games, while the Capitals hadn't allowed a power-play goal in 12 short-handed situations while jumping to a 3-0 start.
STILL TRYING
Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie announced his continued interest in buying the Nashville Predators on Friday in a move that could disrupt the intended sale to a group of local businessmen. Balsillie, whose $220 million offer fell through earlier this year after he tried to move the team to Canada, now says he believes Nashville is a viable market for hockey, according to a letter sent to the Nashville Sports Authority by his spokesman. However, current owner Craig Leipold is committed to completing the sale to the local investors, the team announced Friday. The local group put down a $10 million deposit in August on a $193 million offer and has until Oct. 31 to complete the sale.
SPEAKING
''It's just one of those teams that you have to be up for. Hopefully, it keeps up. I respect this team so much. They're so talented, if you don't show up against these guys, they're going to bury you in a hurry.'' - St. Louis goalie Manny Legace on improving to 12-1 lifetime against Colorado with 24 saves in Friday night's 4-1 win over the Avalanche.