Panthers 4, Sabres 3: Defenseman Ed Jovanovski scored his first goal in nearly two years and added an assist in his 1,100th NHL game to lift visiting Florida to its second win in as many nights.

Jovanovski put his team ahead to stay 52 seconds after Sean Bergenheim scored late in the first period as the Panthers improved to 4-0-1 in their last five games in Buffalo. Jesse Winchester and Nick Bjugstad also tallied and Tim Thomas turned aside 32 shots to end a personal two-game skid.

Drew Stafford scored two goals and set up another while captain Steve Ott added a tally and an assist for the Sabres, who tumbled to their fourth straight defeat (0-2-2). Ryan Miller finished with 18 saves and allowed four goals for the first time since Nov. 19.

Stafford scored twice in the first 6:16 of the game, converting twice from the slot to give Buffalo an early 2-1 edge. Bergenheim redirected a shot by defenseman Tom Gilbert (two assists) with 1:56 left in the period before Jovanovski intercepted a pass near mid-ice, skated in and beat Miller with a slap shot for his first goal since April 5, 2012.

Bjugstad made it a two-goal cushion with 3:48 left in the middle session, breaking down the left wing and whistling a wrist shot over the right shoulder of Miller, but Ott cut the deficit to 4-3 by knocking home a loose puck during a power play with 11:24 remaining for his 100th career goal.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Panthers rookie C Aleksander Barkov, who entered the game with a team-high 23 points, exited in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. ... Stafford notched his first multi-goal performance since March 16, 2013, while LW Tyler Ennis extended his point streak to a career high-tying five games with an assist. ... Florida went 0-for-1 on the power play and has failed in its last 36 chances with the extra skater, one shy of the franchise record.