Panthers 3, Sabres 2: Nick Bjugstad scored the winning goal in the final seconds of the second period as Florida beat visiting Buffalo for the fifth straight time.

Ex-Sabre Brad Boyes and Tomas Kopecky also tallied while rookie defenseman Aaron Ekblad collected three assists as the Panthers won for the fourth time in five games. Roberto Luongo had a string of three straight shutouts against the Sabres halted but turned aside 26 shots to improve to 12-6-0 against them.

Drew Stafford and captain Brian Gionta scored for Buffalo, which dropped both contests on its two-game road trip through the Sunshine State after winning six of its previous eight. Michal Neuvirth made 34 saves in his first start since Nov. 18.

Boyes scored the only goal of the first period at 13:05, burying a crossing pass from the right faceoff dot before both offenses came alive in the second. Stafford, returning from a three-game absence, ripped a one-timer past Luongo 11 minutes in, but Kopecky tipped in Ekblad's point shot less than two minutes later.

Gionta tied it again three minutes afterward with a redirection of defenseman Mike Weber's shot, but Bjugstad struck with 16.2 seconds left in the session, sweeping home a rebound for a 3-2 lead. Bjugstad also notched an assist to give him five points in his last two games.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Ekblad pushed his assist total to 13, tying the franchise record for a rookie defenseman set by Dmitry Kulikov in 2009-10. ... Gionta has collected three goals and three assists in his last eight games, while Sabres C Cody Hodgson ended a 17-game point drought with an assist on Stafford's tally. ... Kopecky snapped a 36-game goal-scoring drought dating to Jan. 4.