NHL: Buffalo 4, Tampa Bay 3 (OT)

BUFFALO, N.Y., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Thomas Vanek produced two goals in the final 2:21 of regulation Wednesday and then scored 2:25 into overtime as Buffalo stunned Tampa Bay 4-3.

The late onslaught gave the Sabres their first win in three games.

Vanek's overtime goal came on the power play when he slammed home a feed from Jaroslav Spacek while stationed at the left post. It was his second hat trick of the season and gives him 10 goals in seven games.

Tim Connolly had three assists for Buffalo and Ryan Miller made 22 saves. The losses in the Sabres' two previous games came after they had put together a run of eight victories in 10 games. The two losses in that stretch went to overtime.

Johan Holmqvist allowed all four goals on 46 shots.

Vanek brought the Sabres within a goal by deflecting a rolling puck into the net and he tied it 36 seconds later by tapping a cross-ice feed from Connolly into an open net.