Lightning 2, Sabres 1: Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis each recorded a goal an assist as Tampa Bay held on to defeat visiting Buffalo and snap a three-game losing streak.

Mathieu Garon made 13 saves to earn his fourth victory in net - and first against a team other than Carolina. Teddy Purcell and Cory Conacher had assists for the Lightning, who have won three straight at home.

Defenseman Jordan Leopold pulled Buffalo within a goal with 3:08 left in the contest on a low shot to Garon’s stick side, but the Sabres could not extend their three-game win streak. Ryan Miller turned aside 23 shots to take the loss in goal, his eighth in 27 lifetime decisions against Tampa Bay.

Stamkos netted his NHL-leading 23rd goal to put the Lightning ahead 16:01 into the contest, beating Miller high to the glove side after St. Louis found him alone in the right faceoff circle. Tampa Bay cashed in on a 5-on-3 power play at 8:15 of the second session when St. Louis one-timed Purcell's pass just below the right faceoff dot for a 2-0 lead.

Garon made a stellar stop with a little under five minutes left in the second, moving quickly to his right to deny captain Jason Pominville. Miller kept his team within two with 3:07 left in the middle frame, getting just enough of Richard Panik’s point-blank shot to keep it out.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Jon Cooper, who was named the eighth Lightning coach on Monday night, met with the media and watched the game with GM Steve Yzerman in the press box. Cooper will be behind the bench for Tampa Bay’s next game on Friday against the New Jersey Devils. … Buffalo’s leading scorer Thomas Vanek, who came in with 23 goals in 29 career games against the Lightning, was held off the scoresheet. He exited the contest in the third period with an upper-body injury … Lightning LW Benoit Pouliot returned to the lineup after missing the last 11 games with an upper-body injury.