Coyotes Tie Sabres 3-3

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 31, 1998 / 12:00 AM EST / CBS Sportsline

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Oleg Tverdovsky scored two goals and set up another to secure a 3-3 tie with the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.

Tverdovsky completed the scoring 7:33 into the third period and assisted on Keith Tkachuk's goal in the first period. It was the first two-goal game of the defenseman's career.

Phoenix, which was without right wing Rick Tocchet while he began a five-game suspension for a knee-on-knee check on Steve Yzerman on Wednesday, took advantage of an extended power play after Buffalo's Michael Peca knocked knees with Jeremy Roenick.

Tverdovsky scored the tying goal when he sneaked in from the point and one-timed a pass across the crease from Tkachuk and beat Sabres goaltender Dominik Hasek with 1:39 left in the power play. Tverdosky's first goal came in the first period to make it 1-1.

Miroslav Satan had one goal and one assist for Buffalo, which is 4-0-3 in its last seven home games. Brad May and Brian Holzinger scored in the first period for the Sabres.

The Sabres are 4-16-6 against teams with winning records this season and 20-2-3 in home games against the Phoenix organization, which played in Winnipeg before last season.

Tocchet will miss the next four games on a suspension handed down Friday by the NHL for his check on Yzerman. Tocchet, suspended for two games last week for a similar hit on Edmonton's Ryan Smith, also was fined $1,000.

Satan gave Buffalo a 3-2 lead when he one-timed Darryl Shannon's cross-ice pass at 7:57 of the second period. Tkachuk scored his 34th on a rebound midway through the period to make it 3-2.

Phoenix goalie Scott Lankgow, making his first NHL start, allowed two goals on the first four shots he faced as Holzinger and May gave the Sabres a 2-1 lead early in the first period.

Holzinger opened the scoring with his first goal in six weeks after taking a Miroslav Satan's pass from the corner and redirecting the puck just inside the post at 2:24.

May scored his first goal since Nov. 13 when he batted the puck into the net after it bounced off the back boards, giving Buffalo a 2-1 lead 6:55 into the first period.