The Buffalo Sabres shutout the New York Islanders 3-0 on Thursday to post their 10th consecutive victory, equalling the NHL record for the longest winning streak to start a season.

Ryan Miller was razor sharp in net for the Sabres, making 29 saves, while Ales Kotalik, Maxim Afinogenov and Jason Pominville scored the goals.

The Sabres can break the 1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs' record for the best start to a campaign at home against the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday.

"We've been playing really sound hockey," Sabres co-captain Daniel Briere told reporters. "We're here now, we're a win away from the record, we might as well give it all we have and go for it now but it wasn't our goal from the start."

While the speedy Sabres are one of the NHL's top attacking teams with 49 goals in 10 games, they can also get the job done defensively.

With Miller unbeatable, Kotalik's first period powerplay goal was the game winner, though Afinogenov and Pominville added insurance markers in the second and third.

The shutout was Miller's first of the season and improved his record to 8-0.

"It (the win streak) is a heck of an accomplishment," said Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff. "It started in training camp and led to where we are at now."

ON A ROLL

In Ottawa, Dany Heatley notched a hat-trick and Jason Spezza and Joe Corvo each had a goal and four assists as the Senators pounded provincial rivals Toronto 7-2.

The NHL's highest scoring team last season, the Senators had been mired in an early scoring drought with just 11 goals in their first six games but have rediscovered their touch hitting 21 in their last three contests -- all wins.

Mike Fisher, Antoine Vermette also scored for the Senators.

Clinging to a 1-0 first period lead, the Senators seized control of the contest in the second when Vermette and Heatley scored 17 seconds apart to put the home side in front 3-0.

Bates Battaglia and Jeff O'Neil hit back for the Leafs, slicing the Ottawa lead to 3-2.

But the Senators responded with three goals to close out the period, Corvo scoring before Heatley, who had 50 goals last season but was held scoreless in his first five games this year, completed his fourth career hat-trick striking 1:17 apart.

"They're rolling, any team that's on a roll is a good team," said Toronto coach Paul Maurice.

In Philadelphia, Peter Forsberg and Simon Gagne scored in the shootout as the Flyers edged the Atlanta Thrashers 3-2, giving John Stevens a win in his NHL head coaching debut.

Stevens replaced Ken Hitchcock, who was sacked on Sunday after the Flyers won just once in their opening eight games.