Sabres blow late lead, lose to Panthers

Buffalo, NY (AP) - Jason Garrison's goal snapped a third-period tie and lifted the Florida Panthers to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

Marcel Goc and Tomas Fleischmann also scored, and Jose Theodore made 24 saves for the Panthers (6-4-0), who won for the third time in their past four games.

Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville scored, and Ryan Miller finished with 33 saves for the Sabres (6-4-0).

Tomas Kopecky added three assists, while Garrison also had an assist.

Garrison's winner came with 1:43 left when he ripped a one-timer past Miller from the high slot on a pass from Brian Campbell.

Pominville gave the Sabres a 2-1 lead with 7:07 remaining. From his knees, Brad Boyes sent a cross-ice pass to Pominville in the left circle, and Pominville kicked the puck to his stick before snapping a shot past Theodore.

The Panthers then had to play all but the final 1½ minutes with four skaters after Marco Sturm was given a 5-minute major for slamming Buffalo defenseman Jordan Leopold into the boards from behind.

With the teams at four skaters each, Fleischmann tied it at 2-2 with just under 4 minutes to play.

After a scoreless first period, the Panthers struck first when Goc notched his second of the season 6:48 into the second. From the right of the net just above the goal line, he spun around and whipped a shot that banked in off Miller's right pad.

Vanek tied it at 1-1 with his eighth with 1:46 left in the second. After making a move around Campbell, Vanek went around the net and stuffed the puck in.

Midway through the first period a video review overturned Matt Ellis' goal when it was determined he had kicked the puck in from just outside the crease on a feed from Boyes from the right corner.

NOTES: Panthers LW Marco Sturm played in his 899th career NHL game, and is one game shy of becoming the first German-born player to play in 900 NHL games. ... The Sabres dropped to 12-6-0 in their past 18 meetings with the Panthers. ... Theodore was playing for the first time since leaving his start against the New York Islanders on Oct. 22 with a lower-body injury. ... Miller picked up his 23rd career NHL shutout in a 3-0 Sabres win at Florida on Oct. 20.