Published: November 30, 2009 11:03 pm      

SABRES NOTEBOOK: Shots not always best for Sabres

TORONTO — Lindy Ruff and his coaching staff have long preached shots on goal as a pathway to success.

But recent results seem to disprove the theory.

The last four times the Sabres have been outshot, they’ve won, and that includes Monday’s effort in which the Leafs held a 38-31 advantage in shots, but Buffalo held a 3-0 edge on the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, in the last four games when Buffalo has at least as many or more shots than its opponent, the Sabres are 0-3-1.

“A lot of nights we were just throwing pucks on net, a lot of perimeter shots,” said Jason Pominville, who finished with two shots of his own. “I think we’re doing a better job of getting those quality chances. Moving the puck around and finding a guy in the right spot, in that soft area.”

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Ryan Miller wasn’t worried about impressing Brian Burke, the general manager of the Leafs and the man who’ll decided whether Miller is the right choice as the Team USA netminder for the Olympics.

“I have a job to do and I just want to do it,” Miller joked. “He’s not skating against me.”

But Burke had to notice Miller’s play. Already leading the league in goals against average and save percentage, Miller turned aside another 38 shots in earning his third shutout of the season.

Miller made a number of big saves during the second period, but perhaps none better than a short-handed save on Phil Kessel in which Miller stuck his right pad out and stoned the Leafs’ sniper, who has eight goals in just a dozen games.

The secret to Miller’s success is never getting comfortable, he said.

“I try to stay pretty paranoid,” he said. “There’s so much going on out there, even in the third period we’ve got a 3-0 lead in the last minute.”

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Their tickets might be the most expensive, but that hardly means the Maple Leafs have done a good job pleasing their home crowd at the Air Canada Centre this season.

The Leafs have just a pair of home wins in 12 home starts, falling to 2-7-3 with Monday’s loss. The Sabres, meanwhile, improved to 7-4-0 on the road.

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After scoring just once in a 17-game stretch, Jochen Hecht scored for the second time in as many starts as he added a late insurance tally.

Hecht scored in the third, winding up and blasting a shot past Jonas Gustavsson that gave Buffalo its final margin of victory. Pominville and Steve Montador got the assists.

Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.