BUFFALO, N.Y., March 28 (UPI) -- Jochen Hecht scored twice Wednesday night to help Buffalo past the New Jersey Devils, 4-3, in a battle of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
The score was scoreless after the first period, and tied, 1-1, after the second, when Buffalo outscored New Jersey, 3-2, in the final period.
Daniel Paille and Ales Kotalik scored once each; Dmitri Kalinin had two assists; and Ryan Miller made 28 saves on 31 shots for the Sabres, who have 105 points and a comfortable seven-point lead over the Devils for first place in the East.
Kotalik had missed the previous 16 games with a knee injury, and Paille missed 15 games with a hand injury.
The Sabres pulled even with Nashville for most points in the league.
Zach Parise, Paul Martin and Scott Gomez all scored once; while Martin Brodeur stopped 19 of 23 shots for the Devils, who remained tied with idle Pittsburgh for first in the Atlantic Division.
