NEWARK, N.J. — There was a strange noise coming from the Sabres' dressing room Tuesday night. It was, believe it or not, laughter.

There was an unfamiliar look on the players' faces, too. They were smiling. Honest to goodness, they were actually smiling.

For once, they had a reason to laugh, grin and feel good about things. For once, they won.

Buffalo ended a pair of long losing streaks with a 2-1 shootout victory over New Jersey, stopping slides of five games overall and 12 straight away from home. Aside from some of Ryan Miller's saves, it wasn't the prettiest of victories, but it was definitely worthy of a good mood as the team broke up for the All-Star break.

"It's been a tough run," coach Lindy Ruff said. "Everybody knows that. Every player felt it. Everyone around the team has felt it.

"To finally win one, at least you can feel good going into the break. This would be a really tough break if you walk into the break with even a shootout loss, but this picks your spirits up. It creates hope. You heard it. It's the first time in a while the guys have really felt good."

They want to carry the good vibe into their long respite. The Sabres don't play again until Tuesday in Montreal, giving them a chance to heal their battered bodies, psyches and egos.

"Mentally, I think it's good for everybody," Miller said. "I think guys stay away from the rink a little bit, and when we come back we'll be ready to get some work done."

Miller sent the Sabres into the break with a First Star performance. He stopped 27 of 28 shots through regulation and overtime, giving his offensively challenged club a chance in the shootout. Jason Pominville, the Sabres' third shooter, kept the team alive by beating Martin Brodeur to answer Ilya Kovalchuk's goal. Nathan Gerbe ended it on Buffalo's next attempt.

"I haven't been able to grind a game out here in about a month, so I'm happy to get it," said Miller, who earned just his fourth win in his last 14 starts.

The goalie's best save came 26 seconds into overtime. Bryce Salvador set up a driving Kovalchuk at the top of the crease, but Miller slid across to get his glove on the attempt that seemed destined for the open cage.

"Those are the type of saves that turn it around for you," Ruff said.

The Sabres opened the scoring for the second straight game. It came courtesy of the kind of bounce that has been going against them most of the season.

Gerbe skated down the left side of the New Jersey zone and fired a slap shot high over the net. The puck clanked off the back glass, with Brodeur and the crowd of 13,735 expecting it to roll to the far wall.

Instead, the puck took a weird hop to the right side of the crease. Sabres defenseman Jordan Leopold easily poked it past an unsuspecting Brodeur with 3:26 left in the first.

It was one of just 14 shots for the Sabres, who tied their season low.

"We did some better things," Pominville said. "You've got to be responsible defensively to win games, and I thought we did a better job."

The second period belonged to the Devils, thanks in part to two power plays. They scored on one. Devils defenseman Kurtis Foster blasted a slap shot from the point. It struck Tyler Myers below the belt. As he crumpled to the ice, New Jersey captain Zach Parise scooped up the loose puck in the slot and quickly slid it to Patrik Elias at the right side of the net for a tap-in with 9:38 left.

Miller made sure the Devils didn't score again, allowing the Sabres to leave Prudential Center on a high.

"There's a lot of work to do when we come back," Gerbe said. "Guys have to enjoy this time and get some rest and get healthy and get ready."

jvogl@buffnews.comnull