PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins are still determined to finish as the NHLs best team -- despite a recent slump. The Penguins rebounded from a loss on Saturday and beat the leagues worst team on Monday night as goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 24 shots for his fourth shutout, a 3-0 win against the Buffalo Sabres. "When you play 82 every one isnt going to be perfect, but were trying to be the best, not just into late June, but every game," Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said. Chris Kunitz scored his 26th goal and Deryk Engelland netted his fourth, equaling a career high. Tanner Glass scored his first goal in 26 games, a late empty-netter that sealed it for the Penguins, who won for the 15th time in 16 games at home. Sidney Crosby, who leads the NHL with 74 points, added two assists to extend his points streak in games against Buffalo to 16 games, matching his longest streak against any team. Fleury, who leads the NHL with 29 wins, registered his 27th career shutout, tied for second in the league. He helped preserve the win, denying Buffalos Brian Flynn two minutes into the third period before following it up with a right-pad stop on Matt Moulson on a partial breakaway a couple minutes later. "The first one was pretty close, and I was worried he might have cut across, so I tried to take his options away," said Fleury, who is one victory away from reaching the 30-win mark for the fifth-straight full NHL season. "Moulson, I was trying to be patient because I know he has good hands," he added. Fleury was better on the play, giving his team a sorely-needed lift after a slow start to the period. "We chipped some pucks out in the beginning of the third period, kind of sitting back, and they shoved it right back at us," Bylsma said. "Marc got stuck with those two glorious chances against. the two great saves he had to make." The Penguins are in command of the Eastern Conference, leading Boston and Tampa Bay by seven points in addition to a 15-point cushion on the New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division entering Monday. But Pittsburgh has struggled recently with a lacklustre home effort last Monday against Florida -- 15th in the 16-team Eastern Conference -- and a 3-0 loss Saturday at Dallas. It wasnt perfect, but the Penguins were able to turn it around on Monday. "We still had times when we werent getting pucks deep, turning it over, and giving them chances to get back into the game," Kunitz said. "Our goalie made a few great saves, a few that went through his body, couldve hit somebody and went in the other way." Goaltender Ryan Miller stopped 31 shots for last-place Buffalo, which has lost seven of nine. The Sabres, who scored at least three goals the previous six games, won for the first time five games on Saturday, scoring a 5-2 victory at Columbus and stopping the red-hot Blue Jackets franchise-record eight-game winning streak, but they couldnt sustain the momentum. "Were a team that we cant have glaring mistakes," Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. "Its very demoralizing. We woke up in the third period and made a push, but not good enough." The Penguins, after a scoreless opening period, scored at 14:16 of the second. Brian Gibbons, who missed five games with a lower-body injury, hit the post on a one-timer from Crosby. The red goal light behind the net momentarily turned on before Kunitz swept the rebound into a partially empty net. Engelland scored later in the period, forcing a turnover in the Sabres zone before lifting a pass from Glass over a sprawled Miller. That was good enough for the Penguins, who continue to try and perfect their stride despite leading the Eastern Conference. "We still need to get better as a team and grow," Kunitz said. "We have 30-some games before the playoffs to make sure were running on all cylinders, and make sure were the best team going into the playoffs." NOTES: Penguins F Evgeni Malkin played in his 500th NHL game, becoming the 15th player in team history to reach the milestone. ... The Penguins are 27-2-1, and a perfect 18-0 at home when scoring first. ... Pittsburgh has won 40 of its last 48 home games dating back to last season. ... Chuck Kobasew, who played on Pittsburghs top line the past four games, was a healthy scratch on Monday in addition to Andrew Ebbett and Robert Bortuzzo. Buffalo scratched Drew Stafford, John Scott, and Alexander Sulzer ... Buffalo plays the second half of a back-to-back Tuesday at home against Washington. ... Pittsburgh opens a two-game West Coast swing Thursday at Los Angeles ... The two teams meet for the third and final time this season next Wednesday at Buffalo. Ultra Boost 4.0 Australia .J. Ellis hit an RBI single in the ninth inning, Hanley Ramirez hit a tape-measure, three-run homer in the first against Cliff Lee and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 on Saturday night. Adidas Superstar Australia . Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct. http://www.nmdaustraliasale.com/. -- Once again, Carlos Santana was a huge hit in Kansas City. Adidas Superstar Sale Australia . Stepanek gave the Czech Republic its second straight Davis Cup title Sunday, sweeping past Dusan Lajovic in straight sets in the fifth and decisive match to secure a 3-2 win over Serbia in the final. Ultra Boost Australia Online .Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week.BOSTON -- Pitching, patience and the Atlanta Braves are bringing the Boston Red Sox back from their longest losing streak in 20 years. The defending World Series champions hope that three straight wins after 10 consecutive losses are just the start of their resurgence. John Lackey pitched neatly into the seventh inning and the Red Sox beat the Braves for the third straight day, 4-0 Wednesday night. "Were not looking too far ahead," Lackey said. "You cant make up 10 games in one day. Youve just got to keep grinding at it." On Tuesday night, the Red Sox won 6-3 in Atlanta as Jon Lester allowed three runs in six innings and broke a two-game personal losing streak. Lackey (6-3) got his turn and kept his stingy season going, giving up eight hits and no walks while striking out nine in 6 1-3 innings. He has permitted two runs or less in eight of his 12 starts. "Im going out there and trying to compete, trying to pitch the best I could every five days, regardless of whats going on," Lackey said. "As a starter, you only get 30-something chances a year, so youve got to respect those and take full advantage of them." The Red Sox honoured Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling and other members of their 2004 World Series championship team before the game then put on another winning performance at Fenway Park. Jackie Bradley Jr., A.J. Pierzynski and Jonny Gomes each had had two hits and an RBI as the Red Sox extended their mastery over the Braves. Boston is 18-6 since 2005 against Atlanta. Lackeys performance, "on the heels of what weve come off of (was) much needed," Boston manager John Farrell said. "When you look at the last two nights, both John Lackey and Jon Lester have done an excellent job of getting deep in the game." Lackey combined with three relievers for Bostons first shutout of the season. He allowed more than one runner in just two innings and just one past second. "If you throw strikes, you have a tendency to get any hitters aggressive and you can expand" the strike zone, Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We got nine hits, left all kinds of people on base. We just couldnt get that next one." Gavin Floyd (0-2)) gave up two runs in five innings and took his first career loss against the Red Sox after seven wins.dddddddddddd He is 3-1 at Fenway Park. Boston went ahead 1-0 in the second inning when Gomes led off with a single and kept going to second on a throwing error by shortstop Ramiro Pena. "You just have to look past those things when those things happen and hope things will turn around," Floyd said. They didnt. Gomes took third on a wild pitch before Grady Sizemore walked, and scored when Daniel Nava grounded into a double play. The Red Sox added a run in the third on a double by Xander Bogaerts, one of his three hits, and singles by David Ortiz and Pierzynski. Boston made it 3-0 in the sixth against Alex Wood when Gomes walked, took second on a single by Sizemore and scored on a double by Bradley. In Tuesday nights win, Bradley hit a two-run single in a four-run seventh when Boston took the lead. The Red Sox reached Wood for another run in the seventh on an RBI single by Gomes. In each of his first six innings, Lackey had at least one strikeout and didnt allow a runner past second. He retired the first hitter in the seventh then allowed singles to Tommy La Stella and Pena that put runners at first and third. Lackey left after throwing 105 pitches. Chris Capuano retired Jason Heyward on a groundout as the runners advanced to second and third. Heywards bat broke and Capuano fell on his back as he just avoided being hit by a broke piece. Capuano walked B.J. Upton, loading the bases, before getting Freddie Freeman to end the threat with a grounder. Junichi Tazawa and Craig Breslow completed the victory with one scoreless inning each. NOTES: More than 30 members of the 2004 Red Sox attended the pregame ceremony. ... Atlanta C Evan Gattis returned to the starting lineup after missing Tuesday nights loss when he strained his right wrist during batting practice. ... Braves SS Andrelton Simmons missed the game after leaving Tuesday nights loss with an inflamed right ankle. ... Atlanta 2B La Stella made his major league debut by going 2 for 4. ... Bostons Jake Peavy (1-2) pitches the finale of the two-game series against Mike Minor (2-3) on Thursday night. ' ' '