Sabres, Hurricanes take 2-0 leads in second round

OTTAWA -- The Buffalo Sabres are headed home with a big lead over the Ottawa Senators.

J.P. Dumont and Jochen Hecht scored goals 2:27 apart in the second period and Ryan Miller made 43 saves to lead the Sabres to a 2-1 win over the Senators on Monday night.

Buffalo won both opening games in Ottawa to grab a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Dumont scored his fifth of the playoffs 3:33 into the second and Hecht added a breakaway goal moments later in his return to the lineup after missing three games, including Friday's wild 7-6 overtime win in Game 1.

Miller, who has started each of the Sabres' eight playoff games, rebounded from allowing six goals on 33 shots Friday. He won his third win in a row, improving to 6-2 overall.

Chris Phillips netted the only goal for the top-seeded Senators, who have dropped eight straight playoff games to the Sabres, dating to 1997.

Hurricanes 3, Devils 2, OT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The never-give-up Carolina Hurricanes did it again, forcing overtime in the waning seconds before a lucky bounce gave them another victory.

Poor Martin Brodeur.

Niclas Wallin had the puck knocked off his stick during a rush early in the extra period, but it bounced off his skate through Brodeur's legs at 3:09 to help the Hurricanes beat the Devils and take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

A video review upheld Wallin's first goal of the playoffs.

New Jersey appeared on its way to a victory in regulation when Scott Gomez deflected in a shot from Zach Parise with 20 seconds remaining.

-- The Associated Press