The Sabres are back on top.

After a three-year absence Buffalo clinched a Northeast Division title – its second since the 2004-05 lockout and first since 2006-07 – by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 7-1 on Saturday night.

Patrick Lalime, the backup to No. 1 goalie Ryan Miller, stopped 22 shots en route to his 200th career victory.

“It’s really nice to get there,” said Lalime, who had not won a game since Dec. 29.

Said the often-stone faced Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, “I might even smile.”

On a night when everything went right for Buffalo, Tampa’s game was summed up when captain Vincent Lecavalier was kicked out for spearing 6:35 into the game. The Lightning were so willing to let the Sabres clinch at HSBC Arena, the Buffalo News wrote, that “nearly anyone in the announced crowd of 18,690 could have earned the victory Saturday.”

Derek Roy recorded his fourth NHL hat trick, and Paul Gaustad, Jochen Hecht, Jason Pominville and Adam Mair also scored for the Sabres, who have won five of six. Their lone loss in that stretch came Friday against Ottawa.

“The great thing about this game is you can go back and redeem yourself the next night,” said Roy. “I thought we did that.”

 

Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, David Krejci and Mark Recchi each had a goal and an assist in the B’s 5-0 pasting of Calgary on Saturday. The win allowed Boston to match Philadelphia with 80 points, tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, though the Bruins have a game in hand.. … The Bruins dropped a 5-3 decision to Tampa Bay on Thursday despite a season-high 50 shots to Tampa’s 18. … The Calgary victory improved Boston to 16-0-0 when leading by three or more goals. … In his first press conference since an on-ice hit left him with a Grade 2 concussion on March 7, Bruins center Marc Savard said “I’m just trying to feel normal again and I don’t feel that way right now.” See the full video:

G Brian Elliott fell less than 10 minutes short of establishing a new team record for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal Friday in the Senators’ 4-2 win over Buffalo. … Zack Smith was recalled from AHL affiliate Binghamton on March 21, two weeks after his most recent demotion. The center has two goals in 13 games. … Forward Mike Fisher reached 500 career penalty minutes in Friday’s win. … Forward Chris Kelly played in his 400th career game Saturday, a 3-2 victory over Florida.

 

Despite a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, the Canadiens are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games and sit sixth in the Eastern Conference playoff race. … Brian Gionta scored twice Thursday against Florida to reach the 25-goal plateau for the first time since 2006-07 and the third time in his career. … Tomas Plekanec scored his 100th goal in the NHL on Thursday.

 

A 3-2 overtime win Saturday against the New York Rangers was Toronto’s eighth in its last 10 games. … Mikhail Grabovski scored 39 seconds into overtime Thursday to lift the Maple Leafs to a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena. … Toronto outshot Florida 43-29 on Tuesday but lost, 4-1. … At 26.7 years old, the Maple Leafs own the youngest roster in the NHL. Columbus is second at 26.8 years old.

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