Gionta paces Sabres in 1,000th game
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Brian Gionta scored in his 1,000th career game, and Jack Eichel had two assists to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday night.
Ryan O'Reilly, Zach Bogosian and Marcus Foligno also scored for Buffalo (32-32-12). Robin Lehner made 30 saves.
Jonathan Marchessault and Jonathan Huberdeau scored for the Panthers (33-31-11). James Reimer allowed four goals on 22 shots and was replaced by Reto Berra in the second period. Berra made 10 saves.
O'Reilly opened the scoring 3:21 into the game. Eichel's shot from a hard angle fell directly to O'Reilly in the slot, who put the puck home for his 19th goal of the season.
Bogosian made it 2-0 Sabres with 5:54 remaining in the first period. After his initial shot ricocheted off the far post, Bogosian raced to gather the rebound and tucked it between Reimer's legs for his second goal of the season.
Gionta made it 3-0 on the power play 1:25 into the second period. The Sabres' captain curled in front of the net before scoring on a wrist shot for his 15th goal of the season.
Marchessault got the Panthers on the board midway through the second by extending his hot streak. The forward buried a hard wrist shot from the slot after a feed from Huberdeau for his 29th goal of the season. Marchessault has six goals in the past three games and is coming off a hat trick against Chicago on Saturday.
Foligno made it 4-1 on a goal that should have been stopped by Reimer, and it ended the goaltender's night. Foligno scored with 4:52 left in the second on a bad angle from the left circle.
Huberdeau made it 4-2 with 3:50 left in the second after Jaromir Jagr forced a turnover deep in Sabres territory. Huberdeau then cut inside, beating Lehner with a backhand deke for his eighth goal of the season.
The Panthers had their share of opportunities in the third period to make it close but came up short. Reilly Smith was awarded a penalty shot early in the period but Lehner came up with a glove save.
NOTES: Sabres captain Brian Gionta was honored in a pre-game ceremony for playing in his 1,000th game. Gionta was given a video tribute and was presented with a silver stick by GM Tim Murray. ... D Rasmus Ristolainen, D Taylor Fedun, LW Nicolas Deslauriers and D Cody Franson were scratched for the Sabres. Ristolainen missed the second of three games due to suspension. Ristolainen received the three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head on Pittsburgh forward Jake Guentzel last week. ... D Aaron Ekblad, G Roberto Luongo, C Michael Sgarbossa and C Denis Malgin were scratched for the Panthers. Luongo has missed 12 games due to a lower-body injury. ... This was the third of four meetings between the two teams this season. The fourth and final meeting takes place on Saturday, April 8 in Florida.