"What was clearly less than 100 percent of Thomas Vanek still turned out to be a pretty big boost for the Buffalo Sabres. Just not big enough to last another game.

Pushing aside the pain from his badly sprained ankle, Vanek scored the Sabres' final goal of the season and pretty much gritted through a regular shift during Monday's 4-3 loss to the Boston Bruins.

Vanek played 23 shifts totaling 16 minutes, 32 seconds. There's no question the Sabres' leading goal scorer did not have the normal hop in his step, especially when he was trying to find another gear to chase the puck.

But there was nothing wrong with his hands and he got himself into scoring position for several good chances against Boston goalie Tuukka Rask, tying for game-high honors with four shots on goal.

"I felt good enough to play," said Vanek, who had missed three games after getting taken out by Boston defenseman Johnny Boychuk in Game Two. "We were pretty desperate. Right away on the first shift, I had a good chance and put it in [Rask's] chest. Second period another good chance and missed. I was put back in the lineup to bring offense and I disappointed on that side."

Vanek was probably being a little harsh on himself.

His best chance came with 4:37 left in the second period, when he undressed Boston defenseman Dennis Wideman by pulling the puck between Wideman's legs and getting in alone on Rask. Vanek's quick shot couldn't beat Rask, however, and the Bruins were able to hold their 2-1 lead.

Ninety seconds later, Vanek had another good chance when he got the puck behind the net and swooped in front from Rask's right to get another shot on goal. He took Jason Pominville's cross-ice pass to beat Rask on a one-timer with 1:13 left to keep Buffalo's hopes alive but the Sabres couldn't pull even.

Vanek started on the fourth line with Patrick Kaleta and Tim Kennedy and was then quickly shifted to his more regular spot with Derek Roy and Pominville.

He played eight shifts in the first period, totaling five minutes, two seconds. He played six in the second, totaling 5:12. He went all-out in the third with nine shifts totaling 6:18.

"I was surprised how well he made out," admitted coach Lindy Ruff. "There were a few shifts he had to short shift but overall he was in alone, could have scored and did get the late one. A little bit of conditioning was an issue but overall I was very impressed with how he came through it and how he ended up playing."

Vanek said the ankle wasn't giving him much trouble but there were times in the third period where he was ginger with it coming to the bench and struggled moving up ice on the rush with his teammates."