Sabres Still Can't Score, Lose 2-1

Tim Thomas made 45 saves and Chuck Kobasew scored an incredible game-winning goal as Boston clipped Buffalo, 2-1, at TD Banknorth Garden. Marco Sturm scored the other goal for the Bruins, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Daniel Paille lit the lamp for the Sabres, who have lost five of six and have scored two goals or less in each of their last five contests. Ryan Miller was the hard-luck loser, allowing both goals on 22 shots. "Weve got to bite the bullet and weve got to be disappointed with not winning but you put efforts like that in back-to-back nights and four games in six nights," said Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff. "I was really concerned the gas was going to run out of the tank and I thought we got stronger through the second period and a little penalty killing trouble that took a little wind out of the sails." Paille knotted the game, 1-1, at 8:13 of the third when he took a cross- crease feed from Toni Lydman and rifled it under the crossbar for a short- handed goal. Only 32 seconds later, Boston went ahead 2-1. Defenseman Dennis Wideman fired a shot which hit Miller and bounced in the air. Kobasew netted his seventh of the season when he batted that rebound out of the air, between his own legs, on the backhand, and through Miller. The Sabres were unable to capitalize when Phil Kessel was sent off for a slashing penalty with 3:04 left in regulation, and could not mount a rush when Miller went to the bench for an extra attacker in the final minute. "Its one of those things where you dont want to let them up when theyre down," said Thomas of the usually speedy Sabres. "You just dont want to let it be the game where they break out in because theyre an offensively talented team." Thomas made 15 stops to keep the Sabres off the board in a scoreless first period, then stopped all 17 shots he faced in the second. Sturm finally broke the scoreless tie with a goal just 1:44 before the second intermission. Game Notes Boston has won two of the three meetings this season...Each of the Bruins last seven games has been decided by one goal...Buffalo heads to Ottawa on Thursday, while Boston also rests until Thursday, when Toronto comes to town.