BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sabres general manager Tim Murray couldnt get through explaining how popular Buffalo is as a free-agent destination without his cellphone ringing on Tuesday. Stopping in midsentence after making a flurry of moves in opening the NHLs signing period, Murray checked his phone, smiled and said: "I should take that call." He didnt. But the timing was perfect in emphasizing Murrays point. Whatever laughingstock reputation that Sabres established in being the leagues worst team last season certainly didnt reflect in how popular they were among established free agents. "It just shows you that there are quality players that want to come here," Murray said. "Ive thought that all along, but youre never sure until the clock hits 12. And there were more (interested) than what we got done." Overseeing his first free-agency frenzy since taking over in January, Murray added depth and experience to a young, patchwork roster that contributed to one of the Sabres worst seasons in franchise history. Buffalo (21-51-10) set a franchise record for losses and established a post-NHL-expansion-era low by scoring just 150 goals. In a matter of four hours, Murray changed the teams outlook by committing a combined $46.375 million in salaries to fill various leadership and offensive needs by signing four free agents, including former Montreal Canadiens captain Brian Gionta. He also acquired veteran defenceman Josh Gorges, who adjusted his no-trade clause to add Buffalo, in a deal with Montreal. And he also re-signed forward Marcus Foligno, a restricted free agent, to a two-year $3.75 million contract. "This changes the mindset is what it changes," Murray said. "I still dont consider us a contending team by any means. But now the players may think differently. And thats good." Though forward Matt Moulson, who signed a five-year, $25 million contract, was the Sabres priciest addition, Gionta was the centerpiece. At 35, Gionta is a consistent two-way forward and respected leader, whose presence is expected to resonate on a young and developing team. From nearby Rochester, Gionta signed a three-year, $12.75 million deal. Murray is already envisioning the impact Gionta can make among players, including centre Sam Reinhart, who was selected with the No. 2 pick in the draft last weekend. "Yesterday, he was the captain of the Montreal Canadiens, a storied franchise, a playoff team. That wasnt a token title. That was real," Murray said of Gionta. "Theres something obviously intangible that you cant measure with a yard stick, with analytics, with anything like that, and he has it in spades." Gorges, a nine-year NHL veteran, also has leadership potential and is regarded as someone capable of grooming Buffalos young crop of blue-liners. "Hes heart and soul," said Murray, who gave up a 2016 second-round pick to acquire Gorges. "He blocks shots. Hes the type of player that can wear a letter. Hes definitely part of the leadership group." Moulson, a seven-year NHL veteran and a three-time 30-goal scorer, rejoins the Sabres after a brief four-month stint in Buffalo last season. Acquired by the Sabres in a trade that sent Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders in October, Moulson was then dealt to the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline in March. Moulson was expendable in Buffalo because he was in the final year of his contract. And yet he enjoyed his brief time with the team to come back. The Sabres also signed defenceman Andrej Meszaros to a one-year, $4.125 million contract, and gritty forward Cody McCormick to a three-year, $4.5 million deal. McCormick is a former Sabres player, who was traded in the deal with Moulson to Minnesota. As for Meszaros, hes a nine-year NHL veteran who has had difficulty finding his niche after splitting the past six seasons between three teams, including the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins last year. Murray, who previously worked for the Senators, is familiar with Meszaros from when the defenceman was in Ottawa. Murray believes the former first-round draft pick can regain the steady form he had in Ottawa, when he combined for 26 goals and 110 points in 246 games. The additions gave Murray reason to be hopeful regarding the teams future. "We can say its a team on the rise. People have to see that, Murray said, including the Sabres youngsters. "I think our kids are sitting at home, going, Wow!" Cheap NFL Jerseys China . - The Carolina Panthers believe Steve Smith lost "top-end" speed, a big reason the franchise parted ways with its all-time leading receiver. 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SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The San Jose Sharks got a spark from an unusual place and turned a close game into another laugher against Jonathan Quick and the Los Angeles Kings. Fourth-liners Mike Brown and Raffi Torres scored second-period goals to erase an early two-goal deficit and the Sharks rolled to a 7-2 victory Sunday over the Los Angeles Kings and a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. "They got us going and everybody followed," coach Todd McLellan said. "You need that to have success. Success has only been two games. Weve got a lot left. But you need to have everybody stirring the drink if you will." Justin Braun, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and Joe Thornton also scored for the Sharks, who overcame a two-goal deficit after the first period of a playoff game for just the third time in 26 tries in franchise history. Antti Niemi made 24 saves. The Sharks matched a franchise playoff record with seven goals in a game and have 13 goals through two games after managing just 10 in a seven-game loss to Quick and the Kings last year. "Hes probably the best goalie in the league, so to do that two games in a row, its an oddity," Thornton said. "Weve been working hard for our goals and the fourth line got this game back in our grip for us, but scoring seven ... just a weird night." Jake Muzzin and Trevor Lewis scored first-period goals before Quick allowed seven goals in the final two periods. Los Angeles heads home for Game 3 on Tuesday looking to get back into this series. The Kings can take comfort in the fact that the home team has won 18 of the previous 19 games between these teams, including nine in the playoffs. Los Angeles also overcame a 2-0 deficit in the first round against St. Louis last year, but those were one-goal games instead of blowouts. "I wouldnt exactly call it new," captain Dustin Brown said. "We were in the same situation last year. We came up here twice and didnt get anything that we wanted. ... Now we go home and we take care of our home ice." The Kings appeared poised to steal home-ice advantage when they scored twice in the first period and Quick responded after allowing five goals in two periods of a 6-3 loss in Game 1 on Thursday. But the Sharks seized momentum inn the second period thanks to a decision to drop Pavelski to the third line and a spark from the fourth line.dddddddddddd Known for their ability to deliver hard hits and get into fights, the line of Andrew Desjardins, Torres and Brown has set the tone for the Sharks this series. Brown pushed Slava Voynov into Quick early in Game 1 and Torres added a goal in that contest. They came through even more in Game 2 with Brown scoring his first career playoff goal on a quick shot from the slot after a turnover by Kyle Clifford to get the Sharks on the board early in the second. Midway through the period, Desjardins dropped a perfect pass to Torres, who beat Quick up high for the equalizer. Torres missed the final six games of last years series for a hit to the head of Jarret Stoll, but has made his impact felt so far in the rematch. "Any time the fourth line contributes with goals its always a bonus," Mike Brown said. "For us to put in a few here, its great for the team, its great for the guys to kind of know they have that depth in the fourth line that we can contribute." The Sharks took the lead late in the period when Braun beat Quick with a shot from the point through a screen by Tommy Wingels. Marleau, Pavelski and Couture turned it into a blowout with goals off odd-man rushes in the third before Thornton scored a power-play goal. "If were not playing the way were supposed to, having the coverage were supposed to then those types of things are going to happen," defenceman Robyn Regehr said. "Weve really got to clean that up in a hurry." The Kings were undisciplined in the final period, most notably when Mike Richards speared Couture. "He got me pretty good, a full-on spear right in front of the ref so well see what happens," Couture said. NOTES: San Joses only other playoff comebacks from two goals down after the first period were on April 23, 1994, against Detroit, and April 19, 2011, against Los Angeles. The Sharks trailed that game to the Kings 3-0 after one and 4-0 in the second before rallying for a 6-5 overtime win. ... ... The Sharks beat Colorado 7-3 on April 30, 1999. ... The Kings scratched F Jordan Nolan in place of a seventh defenceman, Matt Greene, who was on the ice for four San Jose goals. ' ' '