BUFFALO, N.Y. -Thomas Vanek scored twice and Derek Roy had three assists as part of a four-goal second period in leading the Buffalo Sabres to a 6-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
Paul Gaustad and Patrick Kaleta had a goal and assist each, and Drew Stafford and Clarke MacArthur also scored for the Sabres (3-0-1), who along with Dallas (1-0-3) are the only NHL teams without a regulation loss this season.
Ryan Miller made 23 saves, including a blocker stop on Valtteri Filppula's penalty shot late in the second period. He hasn't allowed more than two goals in his four starts this season.
Filppula and Tomas Holmstrom scored for the Red Wings (2-3-0), who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Detroit hadn't lost to the Sabres in regulation in the previous six meetings (5-0-1), dating to 5-1 defeat at Buffalo on March 10, 2002.
It wasn't all good news for the Sabres, though, because Vanek didn't return after his second goal put Buffalo ahead 5-1 at 12:46 of the second period. Vanek was hurt when he crashed into the end boards after snapping in a loose puck at the right post.
The Sabres only said that Vanek sustained an unidentified upper body injury.
Buffalo never trailed and dominated play over the final 40 minutes, a stretch in which the Sabres outshot the Red Wings 29-14. They held an overall edge of 37-25.
After the teams traded power-play goals in the first period, the Sabres scored four times on seven shots in a span of 6:43 to chase Chris Osgood, who allowed five goals on 22 shots. The four goals matched the number Buffalo had scored in its first three games this season.
Kaleta started the rally 6:03 into the second when he followed up rookie defenseman Tyler Myers' end-to-end rush and converted the rebound after Osgood made the initial stop. Vanek scored 2 minutes later when he his centering pass banked in off the skate of Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom.
Defensive miscues by the Red Wings led to the next two goals. MacArthur scored when he was left alone in front to backhand a puck between Osgood's legs. Vanek's second goal came off a Red Wings turnover in their end.
James Howard replaced Osgood and made 14 saves, allowing only Gaustad to convert his own rebound in front early in the third period to put Buffalo ahead 6-1.
Miller, coming off a 1-0 win at Nashville on Saturday, had his shutout string snapped at 92 minutes, 53 seconds when Filppula stuffed in Niklas Kronwall's centering pass.
NOTES: Red Wings C Darren Helm made his season debut after missing four games because of a shoulder injury. ... Sabres D Toni Lydman made his debut after missing three games due to a hand injury. ... The Red Wings outshot the Sabres 11-8 in the first period, marking the first time Buffalo has been outshot in a period this season. ... Buffalo entered the game outshooting opponents by an average 38.7-22.0 a game.
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