Sabres 3, Panthers 0
Ryan Miller made 22 saves in his first shutout and Thomas Vanek scored twice as the Buffalo Sabres blanked the Florida Panthers, 3-0, on Thursday.
Jason Pominville recorded a goal and two assists for the Sabres, who have won the first three on their four-game road trip.
Miller got more help than he is used to from his defense en route to his 23rd career shutout. The former U.S. Olympic goalie had faced at least 30 shots in each of his previous four starts. It helped that Buffalo only needed to kill off one penalty in the contest.
The Sabres jumped on top in the second period when Pominville sent a shot in from the left circle. Vanek, screening Panthers goalie Jose Theodore, redirected it past.
Pominville got his goal with 3:04 left in the second. Ville Leino picked off a pass on the right boards in the Florida zone and sent it straight across to Pominville, who tipped it in from the slot.
Vanek’s sixth goal came on the power play late in the third period and put the game out of reach.
Theodore made 35 saves for the Panthers.