European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 9, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday april 92007 stars and stripes Page 35 sabres secure first presidents trophy the associated press Connol Lys first goal of the season came in the Buffalo sabres most significant Victory Connolly scored in his return from a concussion sustained in last years playoffs and Buffalo beat the Washington capitals 20 on saturday to Clinch the Best record in the nil if s a big Monkey off my Back said Connolly who scored his first goal in almost a year it want something i was really thinking about i was just going to try to come out and keep it simple out there and try to make the game As easy As possible but it was really Nice to get that the sabres franchise record 53rd Victory was enough to lock up the teams first presidents trophy title and Home ice advantage throughout the Stanley cup playoffs that begin this week if s we Learned but if s a Small step on the Way to where we want to get coach Lindy Ruff said Buffalo wasted no time ending Washington disappointing sea son Derek Roy and Connolly scored in the first 10 minutes giving the sabres a sufficient Cush Ion and ensuring that the Las place capitals would finish the season with the same Point total 70 As last year in the locker room after the game capitals owner Ted Leon Sis vowed to be More aggressive in free Agency this of season Well add to the team until were like Buffalo Leonsis said i really take heart in looking at some of these teams that were on the Bottom Buffalo want a very Good team for a Long time and had a very Good business Model the same with Pittsburgh and now both of those teams Are 100point teams and have very High expectations and i think that s where our bar is going to raised Ryan Miller preserved Buffa los Lead with his second shutout of the season one game after set Ting a franchise single season record for victories he stopped 26 shots for his 40th Victory the Auster goalie stopped four difficult shots in the second period and made a Darling save from the seat of his pants in the third prompting chants of Miller from the sizable group of Buffalo fans if s Nice if you get a few fans in there that remind you youre not in quite As hostile an environment As you thought Miller said he stopped Alex Ovechkis stuff attempt of a rebound one minute into the period and snagged a deflected shot out of the air 90 seconds later when Miller gloved Ovechkis wrist shot at of the second the fans began their serenade for an encore in the third period he Slid to his backside on a Cross ice pass to Kris Beech and denied Beech from Pointblank Range Roy put Buffalo ahead 96 seconds in Olie Komg denied Maxim Afinogenov after amino Genova Rush Down the right Wing but Komg lost sight of the re bound which lingered in the crease Roy raced in and shot the puck in Connolly added an insurance goal Halfway through the period after Daniel faille forced a turnover inside Washington Blue line he dropped a pass to Connolly who fired a Low shot that flew through traffic in front  Dan faille made a great play because i was really caught Flat footed on the breakout con Nolly said he was Able to strip the Guy of the puck and Deflit there for me Connolly had been sidelined by Post concussion symptoms and a broken leg that delayed his come Back six weeks ago the sabres limited Ovechkis to eight shots and no Points he entered the game needing two goals to reach 100 for his two year Ca reer instead he finished the sea son with 46 goals and 92 Points the  m shopping for tires has never been easier at tire Backcom we give you All the tools youll need to Purchase the right tire at the right Price no matter where you Are in the world the largest tire and wheel inventory youll find anywhere sortable search results based on your vehicle compare tires too tire info includes test and Survey results specs warranty info View bestsellers for your vehicle tire decision guide to help you find the Best tire for your needs us Apo shipment available pricing available online questions email Chicago Tribune Nuccio Chicago Gonzalo Segares left and new England Adam Cristman fight for control of the bail during the first half of saturdays season opener for both teams in Bridgeview Iii Chicago won the game 10 mls scoreboard Eastern conference Chicago Columbus new York Kansas City do United new England Toronto pc l t Pis of a 0 0 1 000 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 010 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 Western conference cd chivas Usa Colorado pc Dallas real Salt Lake Houston los Angeles w l t pts of a 1003 2 0 100321 001 1 2 2 001122 000 00 0 000000 7101 Vorden Parkway South Bend in 46628 62005 the tire rack e Western Union 5742872345 fax 5742367707 three Points for Victory one Point for tie saturdays games Colorado 2 do United i pc Dallas 2 real Salt Lake 2 tie new York 0 Columbus 0 tie Chicago 1 new England 0 cd chivas Usa 2 Toronto pc 0 sundays game los Angeles at Houston thursdays game pc Dallas at los Angeles saturday april 14 Columbus at real Salt Lake Kansas City at do United cd chivas Usa at Houston Toronto pc at new England sunday april 15 pc Dallas at new York Chicago at Colorado saturday rapids 2 United 1 do 0 11 Colorado 2 first half Colorado Gomez 1 19th minute 2 Colorado Brown 1 Cooke 35th minute second do Emilio 1 Yinka Casal 80th minute United Perkins Colorado coun Doul a18086 pc Dallas 2 read Satt Lake 2 pc Dallas 1 12 real Salt Lake 1 12 first half1 Dallas Cooper 1 19th minute 2 read Salt Lake Cunningham 1 29th second half3 real Salt Lake cunning Ham 2 51st 4 Dallas Ruiz 1 goalie Sec Dallas Hislop real Salt Lake Rimando a18678 red bulls 0 Crew 0 new York 0 00 Columbus 0 00 York Waterreus Columbus Gruenebaum a13782 fire 1 revolution 0 new England 0 Chicago 1 01 first half1 Chicago pause Mapp 4th minute goalies new England Reis Chicago pick ens cd chivas Usa 2 Toronto Fco Toronto pc 0 cych Hrabusa 1 12 first hatf1 cd chivas Usa Razov 1 Galin do 35th minute second haif2 cd chivas Usa Klee Stan 1 88th goalie Toronto pc Sutton cd chivas Usa Guzan a14351 pc Dallas earns tie with real Salt Lake the associated press Salt Lake City even if Carlos Ruiz Doest get to keep the official credit he knows he had a role in pc Dallas tying goal in the final minute of stoppage time Dallas rallied for the 22 tie against real Salt Lake on Satur Day coming away with a Point in the season opener with a goal on a Lucky Bounce just before the game ended Ruiz and goalie Nick Rimando were going for the Ball when it bounced off of Ruiz and a defender and into the net Ruiz got credit for heading it in when i jumped i think i touched the Ball too Ruiz said with a shrug i dont know if the league is going to give me the goal or not but if s Good for us Clarence Goodson had an assist of the tying goal which stunned the Home fans for a few moments before they started booing As the players left the Field the fans deserved Awin we deserved a win Rimando said Tor 93 minutes we were the Best team out there Jeff Cunningham scored twice for real which fell to 042 in sea son openers Freddy a Umade his Salt Lake debut and had three shots go Over the crossbar Adu acquired in a Trade with do United boosted Salt lakes overhauled offence which out shot Dallas 103 in the first half i would have loved to score a goal today but that not always our offence weve got like 32 games so in not worried about it Adu said weve got another Home game next weekend so in just focused on that rapids 2 United 1 at com Merce City Colo Hercules Gomez and Roberto Brown mls Roundup scored Early to Lead Colorado to its first season opening Victory Terry Cooke had two assists for the rapids who opened the major league soccer season in their new million stadium and had been 092 in season openers red bulls 0 Crew 0 at Colum bus Ohio Claudio Reyna wore the captains armband for new York in his first major league soccer game the red bulls score less tie with Columbus in both teams season opener Reyna a midfielder who has played 112 games for the us National team signed with the red bulls in january after a 12year career in Europe fire i revolution 0 at Bridge port do Logan pause scored in the fourth minute to lift Chicago Over new England in both teams season opener Chris Rolfe sent the Ball to jus tin Mapp who crossed it into the Box pause headed the Ball off the left Post and into the net the goal was pauses first in a five year major league soccer career chivas Usa 2 Toronto pc 0 at Carson Calif Ante Razov and Sacha Klee Stan scored to Lead Chi Vas Usa past expansion club Tor onto pc in both teams season opener Toronto pc became the first club outside the United states to participate in major league soc cer the leagues 13th franchise had four Canad Anborn players in the starting or Greg Sutton and defenders May Coll Canizalez Marco Reda and team Captain Jim Brennan Only Sutton has played in the mls before