Boston, MA (WGR 550) -- The Sabres finished out the regular season on a positive note with a solid 3-0 victory over the Boston Bruins Saturday night. Thomas Vanek scored all three goals for his fourth hat trick of the season, while Jocelyn Thibault earned the shutout stopping 17 shots in his first start since January 21st in Phoenix.
After no scoring in the first period, Thomas Vanek gave the Sabres the lead just one minute into the second as he blasted a power play goal by Tim Thomas. Derek Roy earned an assist on the goal to extend his point streak to 12 games. Midway through the period Vanek netted his second power play goal of the game to give Buffalo a 2-0 heading to the third.
In the final minute of play Tim Thomas left the net for the extra attacker. Derek Roy went in on the empty net but made an unselfish play to pass it back to Thomas Vanek for his fourth hat trick of the season all coming since February 12,2008.
The Sabres finish the season in tenth place in the Eastern Conference missing the playoffs just one season after winning the President’s Trophy for best record in the league. The last team to do that was the New York Rangers who won the President’s Trophy the 1991-92 season and then missed the playoffs the next year.