Published: November 28, 2008 11:12 pm         

SABRES: Gaustad, Stafford spark win over Pens

BUFFALO — Paul Gaustad broke a tie with his second goal, and Drew Stafford had two goals and an assist in the Buffalo Sabres’ 4-3 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night.

Gaustad’s second of the game came with 3:24 to go in regulation, and sent the Sabres (11-8-3) to their second straight win after losing five in a row.

Sidney Crosby scored twice, and Tyler Kennedy added a goal for Pittsburgh (13-6-3). The Penguins lost in regulation for only the second time this month.

Evgeni Malkin had two assists to boost his NHL-leading points total to 37, and rookie John Curry made 28 saves in his first career NHL start.

With the score tied at 3, Gaustad charged the net and redirected Jason Pominville’s pass from the right circle to give Buffalo a 4-3 edge.

The Sabres tied it at 3 just 3:11 into the third on Stafford’s second goal of the game. Off the rush, Stafford redirected Thomas Vanek’s pass past Curry.

Kennedy opened the scoring with his sixth of the season midway through the first period, one-timing a pass from Matt Cooke past Miller to the right of the net.

Stafford tied it just 56 seconds later. Maxim Afinogenov wheeled along the left boards an behind the net before sending a pass out in front, where Stafford jammed the puck home from in tight.

The Sabres took their first lead on Gaustad’s power-play goal. Gaustad whiffed on his first attempt from the slot, but reloaded and slid the puck behind Curry.

The lead, though, was short-lived as Crosby swatted the puck out of the air and into the net after Malkin’s shot bounced off the end boards.

Crosby connected again with 56 seconds left in the second with his 10th to make it 3-2, wristing a shot past Miller after Malkin stripped Buffalo defenseman Jaroslav Spacek of the puck in the neutral zone.

Notes: Penguins D Philippe Boucher played one shift in the second period, then left the ice and didn’t return. ... The Sabres inducted Dave Andreychuk and former PA announcer Milt Ellis into their Hall of Fame in a ceremony that delayed the start by almost 10 minutes. ... Buffalo completed its season-high four-game homestand with a 2-2 mark. ... The teams will meet two more times over the next over the next 23 days. ... The game also was delayed late in the first period when Vanek’s slap shot cracked a pane of glass.