Malarchuk-like Injury Mars Sabres Win

Thomas Vanek scored the game-winning goal and added an assist as Buffalo defeated Florida, 5-3, on a night that saw Floridas Richard Zednik leave the ice with a vicious cut to his neck from a teammates skate. Halfway through the third period, Floridas Olli Jokinen was chasing down the puck in the right corner of the Buffalo end. He was upended as he attempted to reach for the puck and his right leg lifted into the air and the skate blade hit Zednik in the neck. Zednik was bleeding profusely as he skated to the Florida bench. Attendants jumped onto the ice and rushed him to the locker room. It was reported at the arena that Zedniks condition was stabilized in the locker room and he was transported to a local hospital. Late Sunday night, Zednik was resting comfortably in stable condition at a Buffalo hospital. Play was delayed for several minutes as both the benches and the crowd were silent until it was announced over the public address system that Zedniks condition was stabilized. Derek Roy had a pair of goals while Jason Pominville added a goal and an assist for the Sabres, who have won three of their last four games. Ryan Miller stopped 22 shots in the win. Nathan Horton had a goal and an assist while Craig Anderson made 26 saves for the Panthers, who had won four of five coming into the game. With the score tied in the third, Buffalo grabbed the lead with a power-play tally. Vanek received a pass in the high slot and blasted a slapper through a screen and past Anderson at the 9:06 mark. Roys power-play goal with just 1:23 to play sealed the win for the Sabres. The Panthers got the only goal of the first period as Brantislav Mezeis slap shot from the left point went through a screen and beat Miller over the glove at the 5:42 mark. The Sabres scored three straight times in the second period to grab the lead. A bit over four minutes in, Adam Mair blasted a shot from the left circle that Patrick Kaleta tipped past Anderson for his first career goal. Buffalo then grabbed the lead with 8:04 to play in the second as Pominville skated in on a breakaway and snapped a wrister into the right corner of the net for his 15th goal of the season. Just two minutes later, the Sabres got a goal on the power play as Roy wristed in a rebound off a Vanek shot for a 3-1 advantage. Florida got a goal back with 58 seconds left in the second period as Jokinens quick wrister from the right circle beat Miller over the glove. The Panthers tied the game just 23 seconds into the third period as Stephen Weiss flicked a pass from the left side of the net to the front and Horton wristed the puck home. Game Notes Florida center Kamil Kreps left the game in the third period after he was hit in the back of the head with the puck...Buffalo plays at Ottawa on Tuesday...Florida has off until Wednesday when it will host Montreal...Buffalos Brian Campbell had three assists in the game.