Wheeler, Little lift Jets over Sabres 3-1

[March 06, 2012]  WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) -- Blake Wheeler scored the deciding goal on a breakaway in the third period and Bryan Little had three assists in the Winnipeg Jets' 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

Andrew Ladd and Chris Thorburn also scored and Ondrej Pavelec made 23 saves for the Jets (32-27-8), who maintained their hold on eighth place in the Eastern Conference and stretched their over Washington to three points.

Corey Tropp scored for Buffalo, and Ryan Miller stopped 28 shots. The Sabres (30-28-8) are tied for 10th place with Tampa Bay, four points behind Winnipeg.

The Jets went 5-1-2 on their eight-game homestand.

Ladd gave Winnipeg a 1-0 lead when he banged in a rebound at the front of the net at 13:45 of the first period, in which the Jets held a 10-7 shots advantage.

The Sabres swarmed the Jets' zone during two second-period power plays but couldn't connect. With 35 seconds left in the period, Tropp tied it with his second goal of the season -- putting in a shot from a goal-mouth scramble.

Wheeler made it 2-1 after he took a pass from Little near center ice, skated in alone on Miller, and fired a high shot over the goalie's outstretched glove at 8:02 of the third.

Thorburn put Winnipeg ahead by tow goals at 10:54 when he skated around defenseman Robyn Regehr and slid a low shot under Miller, who is 6-1-1 in his past eight games.

NOTES: Jets D Zach Bogosian didn't play because of an undisclosed lower body injury. ... The Jets are 22-10-3 when they score first. The Sabres are 9-21-2 when allowing the first goal. ... The Jets will play at Vancouver on Thursday and in Calgary on Friday. Buffalo will host Carolina on Wednesday.

[Associated Press]

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