Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

Final Score: Buffalo 3 - Florida 1

Sunrise, FL (Sports Network) - Ryan Miller made 31 saves to help the Buffalo Sabres take a 3-1 victory over the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center.

Jochen Hecht, Patrick Kaleta and Mike Grier lit the lamp for the Sabres, who improved to 2-1-1 on a five-game road trip and are now seven points ahead of the Senators for first in the Northeast Division. Ottawa lost in Dallas on Saturday.

Byron Bitz scored the lone goal for the Panthers, who are 1-3-1 over their last five contests following a three-game win streak. Florida remained seven points behind Boston for the eight and final playoff spot in the East.

Tomas Vokoun turned aside 17-of-19 shots before being pulled early in the second period. Scott Clemmensen made 16 saves in relief.

Ahead 2-1 in the third, Buffalo got a score from Grier to build a two-goal cushion. Grier won the scramble for a loose puck in the crease and put the disc into the net with 6:11 to play.

Miller made 10 saves in the third to preserve the victory.

The Sabres got on the board 13:26 into the first period. Paul Gaustad slid a pass to the right circle for Hecht, who made his way to the goal line before firing a snap shot that snuck past Vokoun.

Kaleta lit the lamp 2:54 into the second to make it a 2-0 game. Adam Mair fired a shot from the left point that bounced off the back boards. The puck found the stick of Kaleta, whose wrister found the back of the net.

Bitz jammed home a rebound at the 11:04 mark of the middle stanza to cut the gap to 2-1.

"I thought they obviously controlled the first period," Panthers head coach Pete DeBoer said. "I thought from that point on we played pretty well."