Senators 10, Sabres 4

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Daniel Alfredsson has an intimidating message for the rest of the NHL.

"I don't think we hit our peak yet," he said after Ottawa's 10-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night. "I think we can get better."

Alfredsson and Martin Havlat each scored four goals, and Dany Heatley added two more for the Senators, who won for the ninth time in 11 games. They are off to their best start since entering the league as an expansion team in 1992.

Alfredsson tied a pair of team records and set career highs with four goals and six points. It was the first career four-goal game for Havlat as well, and the third time in three games a Senators player has scored four times. Heatley had four goals in an 8-0 win over Toronto on Saturday.

"When the team plays well, good things happen for the individuals as well," Alfredsson said. "I got some good breaks tonight and was able to put them away."

It was also the first time in franchise history that Ottawa had two four-goal scorers in one game. The 10 goals were a season high and the second-most in franchise history.

Alfredsson's comments aside, it's hard to imagine Ottawa playing much better, especially after its offensive display against the Sabres.

"To have two guys score that many goals, I don't know if I've ever been around that type of thing," Senators coach Bryan Murray said. "It is amazing and different, and doesn't happen very often."

Heatley extended his club-record point streak to begin a season to 11 games, and Jason Spezza had a career-high four assists.

It was the fifth career hat trick for both Alfredsson and Havlat.

Playing for the first time since serving a five-game suspension for kicking Boston defenseman Hal Gill, Havlat took to heart some criticism from general manager John Muckler earlier this week.

"I wanted to play a hard game tonight," Havlat said. "They just kept going in and I was pretty happy with that."

Muckler wanted to see more of Havlat's skills come out on the ice, and Havlat responded convincingly against the Sabres.

"The idea of having a group of players do well is having them respond to a little criticism," Murray said. "He took advantage of it tonight to have a big night."

Jay McKee, Chris Drury, Ales Kotalik and Daniel Briere scored for Buffalo, which has dropped three of its last four.

The Sabres were without scheduled starting goalie Ryan Miller, who broke his thumb during Buffalo's morning skate and is expected to miss at least six weeks.

Martin Biron made the emergency start in place of Miller but didn't last long, allowing three goals on the first six shots he faced. Biron was lifted after seven minutes in favor of Mika Noronen, who dressed for the first time this season after being scratched for Buffalo's first 11 games.

Noronen allowed four goals on 17 shots before Biron came back in net to start the third period.

"Buffalo's goaltending wasn't the best they had, and we took advantage of that," Alfredsson said. "When you get off on the wrong foot, it's tough to get back, and I think that's what we did to their goalies."

Heatley opened the scoring just 34 seconds in, beating Biron from close in on Ottawa's first shot. Havlat followed with his first of the game on the Senators' third shot less than three minutes later.

Heatley chased Biron after outmuscling Thomas Vanek in front of the net, putting his own rebound past the goalie.

Buffalo got back into the game with three consecutive goals in the second to pull to 5-3 before the Senators scored four consecutive goals. Alfredsson scored three times during that stretch and capped the scoring with his 11th goal of the season with four minutes remaining.

"I was ready to go, but it was just one of those nights," Biron said. "You can't dig yourself a hole like that and expect to come out."

Ottawa goalie Ray Emery made his third start in place of Dominik Hasek - and has won all three. Emery improved to 6-0-0 in his brief NHL career.

"You make mistakes and you're going to get burned - and we got burned," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said.

Notes: Sabres D Toni Lydman (groin) and LW Taylor Pyatt (mild concussion) each missed a second consecutive game due to injury. ... The Senators are 7-1 when scoring first. ... Briere tied a career-high eight-game point streak with an assist on McKee's goal. ... Senators D Anton Volchenkov missed his first game with a rib injury sustained in Sunday's loss to Philadelphia. ... Buffalo RW Mike Grier did not return after sustaining a hip flexor in the first period.