Buffalo's Victor Olofsson scored twice, Craig Anderson made 35 saves and the Sabres beat the visiting Tampa Bay Lighting for the first time in almost three years in a 5-1 win on Monday.

Olofsson, who has a team-leading four goals, notched the first tally and finished the scoring with an empty-netter late in the third period.

A free-agent acquisition in late July, the 40-year-old Anderson was stellar in the second period with it tied at 1. The Sabres improved to 3-1-0 with Anderson on his new club.

Robert Hagg posted a goal and an assist, Vinnie Hinostroza and Drake Caggiula scored and Tage Thompson added two assists.

The Sabres, who last defeated Tampa Bay on Nov. 13, 2018 in Buffalo -- have points in five of six games (4-1-1).

Alex Killorn tallied for the Lightning, who still have not scored in the first period or led at any point of regulation in their six games.

Backup goalie Brian Elliott made his first start for the Lightning and stopped 20 of 23 shots.

Forward Corey Perry skated in his 1,100th NHL game, becoming the 14th active player and 202nd all-time to reach the milestone.

In the two clubs' first meeting since Dec. 31, 2019, the Lightning continued a bad trend when they surrendered the opening marker for the sixth straight game when Olofsson put in a rebound off Thompson's blast at the 1:41 mark of the first period.

With 94 seconds remaining in the first, the visitors evened it at 1 when Killorn had Ryan McDonagh's distant shot near the blue line strike him and get through for his first goal.

In the second, Anderson withstood the Lightning's steady attack of 11 shots, but his counterpart at the other end had very little work as the Sabres did not register their first of the period until over 13 minutes in.

However, Caggiula put one past Elliott in the last minute when he secured a puck at center ice and outskated Mikhail Sergachev on a breakaway.

He then slipped in his first goal, and the Russian defenseman smacked his stick in frustration on the right post.

Early in the third, Hinostroza found some open ice and whipped a wrister from the high slot for his first goal for Buffalo -- at 4:25 for a 3-1 lead.

Hagg and Olofsson scored into open nets when the Lightning decided to pull Elliott for an extra skater.

-- Field Level Media