Tyler Myers and Cody McCormick scored early in the second period, and Ryan Miller made 17 saves to help the Buffalo Sabres end a five-game winless streak with a 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on Wednesday night.
Tyler Ennis and Thomas Vanek also scored for Buffalo. The Sabres, the defending Northeast Division champions, were 0-4-1 since winning their opener at Ottawa.
Tobias Enstrom scored for Atlanta. The Thrashers, outshot 42-18, had won two straight.
Myers gave the Sabres a 2-0 lead 6 seconds into a power play and 1:30 into the second with a slap shot from the blue line. McCormick scored 1:04 later on a short wrister after goalie Chris Mason lost control of a rebound.
Atlanta cut it to 3-1 on defenseman Enstrom's second goal, a slap shot on the power play, but the Thrashers' offense was otherwise dismal.
Vanek scored on a breakaway with 9:35 left in the third.
Ennis opened the scoring in the first period with a wrist shot.
After going 1-12-3 in their previous 16 games at Philips Arena, the Sabres pressured the Atlanta defense all night, a formula they've used to outshoot opponents 119-65 in three road games.
Thrashers forward Ben Eager received a double minor for high-sticking penalty that gave Steve Montador a cut on the bridge of his nose late in the third.
Buffalo didn't immediately list the condition of Montador, who blocked his 21st shot of the season. He began the game tied with Chicago's Nick Boynton for the NHL lead with 20.
Defenseman Chris Butler added two assists for the Sabres.
