Hawks struggle,but still get past Sabres as Turco stops 38 shots

Patrick Sharp made the most of his few opportunities Saturday night.Sharp scored his second goal of the game with 7:08 left in the third, powering the Blackhawks to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.Sharp rammed in a rebound off Tomas Kopecky’s point-blank attempt on the power play, sending defending the Stanley Cup champion Hawks to their first win at home this season after two losses. He converted two of his three shots to give him four goals in two nights.Red hot Marian Hossa and Dave Bolland also scored for the Blackhawks, who were outshot 41-21. Marty Turco made 38 stops to earn his first home win with the Blackhawks.And Turco, who signed as a free agent over the summer to replace playoff hero Antti Niemi, was a huge part of the equation.Drew Stafford, Paul Gaustad and Cody McCormick scored for the Sabres, whose winless streak reached five games (0-4-1). Backup goalie and former HawkPatrick Lalime made 17 saves in his first start of the season.Bolland tied it at 3 midway through the third by slipping behind the Buffalo defense, breaking in on goal and sliding a shot under Lalime.Buffalo had a couple of late power plays but remains winless since a season-opening victory over Ottawa on Oct. 8.Patrick Kane returned after missing Friday’s victory with an undisclosed illness. Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson also was back after serving a two-game suspension for a hit on Buffalo’s Jason Pominville last Monday. The Sabres, who lost to Montreal at home on Friday night, controlled the first period and led 2-1 after 20 minutes.After Buffalo took the first seven shots, Sharp scored on the Blackhawks first shot on goal at 6:25. He finished a 2-on-1 break with Kane with his fourth goal of the season.The rush was set up when Kane pounced on a turnover by Buffalo’s Tyler Myers at the Sabres’ blue line and raced the length of the ice.The Sabres responded immediately, scoring twice in 15 seconds.Stafford beat Turco at 6:52, converting a backhander off a rebound of Steve Montador’s drive from the right circle. Gaustad’s goal at 7:07 withstood a video review and made it 2-1.Turco stopped Gaustad’s shot from the left circle, but rookie defenseman Nick Leddy knocked the puck in with his skate as he and Buffalo’s Nathan Gerbe drove to and collided with the net.Hossa tied it at 1:04 of the second when he broke in alone from just outside the Buffalo blue line after taking Brent Seabrook’s pass from deep in the Hawk zone.McCormick put Buffalo in front again with 2:45 left in the second. He was left uncovered in front of the net, and jammed Jochen Hecht’s feed under Turco.

NOTES—Pominville missed his third game with a concussion suffered in the collision with Hjalmarsson. Buffalo D Shaone Morrisonn missed the game with a groin injury…Jordan Hendry and RW Jack Skille were healthy scratches.