Panthers Edge Sabres

    The Florida Panthers began a four-game road trip as they slipped by the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 on Super Bowl Sunday at First Niagara Center. The Panthers bounced back from a 3-1 deficit in the second period. Florida right wing Peter Mueller set a new career-high as he scored in his fourth consecutive game in the victory.
    Buffalo(3-5-1) scored early in the first period at 2:46. After Florida Panthers goalie Jose Theodore made an initial save, right wing Jason Pominville made a backhand pass between his legs across the low slot for left wing Thomas Vanek's one-time wrist shot.
    Florida(3-5-0) evened the game as center Jerred Smithson won a face-off in the left circle and center Shawn Matthias blasted a slapshot from the top left circle by Sabres goalie Ryan Miller for his first goal this season at 8:36.
    The Panthers turned the puck in their own slot area and the Sabres capitalized. Vanek made a backhand cross-ice pass through the crease where center Cody Hodgson finished with a forehand shot at 13:41 for 2-1 lead.
    The Sabres extended their margin to 3-1 as defensman Alexander Sulzer put in a long shot at 3:49 of the second period. The Cats rebounded with two goals to tie it up at 3-3. Right wing George Parros scored his first goal as a Florida Panther at 10:21.
    Panthers rookie center Drew Shore collected his first NHL assist and point. He rushed into the Buffalo zone, fired a slapshot that hit the end wall and then sent a backhand shot on net where Miller made the stop. Mueller pounced on the rebound with a backhand shot in the crease for a goal with 54 seconds left in the second period.
    Cats defenseman Brian Campbell burned his former team with a go-ahead power-play goal for a Panthers 4-3 lead with 10:33 remaining in the third period. Left wing Jonathan Huberdeau had the puck on the right-circle dot and dished it off to right wing Tomas Kopecky in the low right circle. He sent a soft backhand pass across the crease to Campbell where he banged a slapshot from the low left circle into the half-open net for his fourth goal this season.
    Florida outshot Buffalo 13-4 in the third period and 33-20 overall. Theodore(3-4-0) made 17 saves in the win while Miller(3-4-1) stopped 29 shots in the loss. Panthers center Stephen Weiss returned to the lineup for the first time since January 22 in Montreal. There were only three power plays in the game as Florida went 1-for-2 and Buffalo was 0-for-1. The Cats travel to Winnipeg and play the Jets on Tuesday night.