Bruins 7, Penguins 4

Mark Recchi had a goal and assisted on two of Boston's five third-period goals in the Bruins' 7-4 comeback victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.

Boston entered the third period facing a 4-2 deficit, but Nathan Horton and Zdeno Chara scored 15 seconds apart over the first 4:04 to tie it, Shawn Thornton was credited with the winner with 7:20 to play, Blake Wheeler scored with 3:47 left and Milan Lucic added an empty-netter.

Tim Thomas made a season-high 42 saves to improve to 8-0-0, and Brad Marchand also scored. The Bruins, 6-1 on the road this season, had lost their previous two after winning seven of eight.

Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists for the Penguins, who have lost six of their past eight and fell to 2-5 at the new Consol Energy Center. Chris Kunitz, Aaron Asham and Brooks Orpik also scored.

Sabres 5, Devils 4 (SO)

Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek scored shootout goals and Buffalo won in Lindy Ruff's 1,000th game as the Sabres' coach.

Roy, Jason Pominville, Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis scored for the Sabres and backup goalie Jhonas Enroth made 28 saves to help Buffalo keep the Devils' winless (0-5-2) at home this season.

The Devils' frustration was never more evident than when $100 million free agent Ilya Kovalchuk had the puck slip off his stick and not get a shot on the Devils' fourth and final shootout attempt.

Jason Arnott scored twice and David Clarkson and Jamie Langenbrunner added goals for New Jersey.

NHL All-Star Game gets a makeover

The NHL All-Star Game will look like a schoolyard pickup game this year.

The league announced Wednesday that it is switching from the conference-vs.-conference format it has used for years to a player draft conducted by the All-Stars themselves, in which captains selected by the players will determine the teams.

The 2011 All-Star Weekend will be hosted by Carolina on the last weekend in January.

Under the new format, two captains per team will select the remaining All-Stars in any order they choose. Those teams will compete in the All-Star Game and SuperSkills competition.

NHL vice president Brendan Shanahan says the goal is to "make the game more fun for everyone" and to "inject more excitement and intrigue into all the events."

After a one-year hiatus because of the Olympics, NHL All-Star festivities will return during the last weekend of January with the Carolina Hurricanes serving as host.

The NHL didn't feel pressure to revamp things, it was just looking for a fresh look.

Fans will continue to vote via electronic ballots from a list of 100 players, but their votes will only determine the first six All-Stars. The remaining 36 players will be chosen by the NHL's hockey operations department.

Two captains will then be chosen, and they will draft the rest of the players to their yet-to-be-named teams. Those teams will compete in the All-Star game and skills competition.