OTTAWA, March 27 (UPI) -- Derek Roy scored the deciding goal in the shootout Thursday, giving Buffalo a 4-3 win over Ottawa that kept alive the Sabres' flickering playoff hopes.
Buffalo ended a two-game skid, getting regulation goals from Maxim Afinogenov, Paul Gaustad and Jochen Hecht. Ryan Miller made 25 saves.
Buffalo is five points out of the last Eastern Conference playoff spot with five games remaining.
Ottawa has lost three out of four.
Gaustad scored with 1:26 remaining in the third period just to get Buffalo into overtime and the Sabres scored twice in the shootout.
Jason Pominville gave Buffalo the lead in the shootout, but Jason Spezza tied it in the second round. Roy then shifted from the backhand to the foreground and flipped a shot past Martin Gerber for the victory.
