'The two-time defending Eastern Conference champs beat Buffalo, 3-1, on the strength of a pair of power-play goals and a brick-wall outing by goalie Martin Brodeur. The loss was spectacularly frustrating for the Sabres, who played their best defensive game of the season despite the absence of injured defensemen Rhett Warrener, Richard Smehlik and Dmitri Kalinin, and suspended checking forward Vaclav Varada.'