October 16, 2001	Tuesday	Rajab 28, 1422

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BUFFALO (New York), Oct 15: Vyacheslav Kozlov produced some scoring magic in the third period to help the Buffalo Sabres beat the slumping Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 on Sunday.

Kozlov, traded in the offseason by the Detroit Red Wings for goaltender Dominik Hasek, scored the eventual game-winner 2:33 into the final period when his attempt at a center from behind the net bounced in off the skate of goaltender Johan Hedberg.

He also threw a backhander at the net from along the goal line that hit Hedberg’s glove and trickled into the net to finish the scoring with 1:59 left in the game.

Martin Biron stopped 25 shots to help Buffalo (3-2-0-1) to their third successive home victory.

Pittsburgh, who eliminated Buffalo in seven games in last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals, lost a superstar themselves in the offseason when they traded five-time scoring champion Jaromir Jagr to Washington.

The Penguins remained winless despite the return of Mario Lemieux, who had missed two games with a hip injury.

In Minnesota, the Wild squandered a third-period lead but remained the only unbeaten team in the Western Conference after a 3-3 tie with the Edmonton Oilers.

Minnesota led 3-2 going into the third period, but Edmonton tied it at 3:26 on Rem Murray’s first goal of the season.

Sunday’s results (home team in CAPS):

BUFFALO 4 Pittsburgh 1

MINNESOTA 3 Edmonton 3 (OT)

Tampa Bay 3 ANAHEIM 2

CHICAGO 2 Columbus 2 (OT)

—Reuters