Buffalo Sabres right wing Brian Gionta (12) attempts to score as Ottawa Senators goalie Robin Lehner (40) defends during the second period at First Niagara Center.Kevin Hoffman
Milan Michalek scored at 12:15 of the third period and Robin Lehner made 35 saves and the Ottawa Senators beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Erik Karlsson also scored for the Senators, who snapped a three-game skid.
Tyler Myers scored Buffalo's goal as the Sabres dropped to 1-8 in their past nine home games. Buffalo has the fewest standings points in the NHL with 35.
The Sabres beat Lehner on a third-period power play. With Eric Gryba in the box for elbowing, Myers' point shot found its way through a maze of bodies and past a screened Lehner at 5:08.
The tie was broken as Jhonas Enroth gave up a big rebound on Patrick Wiercoch's shot and Michalek slapped it into the goal.
Tyler Ennis rang a wrist shot off the crossbar in a good late chance for the Sabres.
Ottawa's first sustained pressure came five minutes into the game, and Sabres defenceman Josh Gorges batted an airborne puck out of danger as it reached the goal line.
The Sabres received Bronx cheers midway through the period when Zemgus Girgensons' shot was caught by Lehner for Buffalo's second shot of the game and first since the opening moments.
A tripping penalty against Brian Gionta gave Ottawa the first power play of the game, and the Senators wasted little time converting the chance.
Karlsson's slap shot from the point took a turn off Girgensons' stick and beat Enroth to give the Senators at 1-0 lead at 12:18 of the first.
Mike Weber slid a pass to give Ennis a shot on Lehner late in the period, and then had a shot stopped by the Senators' goalie at 16:34.
Lehner made a save on Patrick Kaleta early in the second period, catching the puck with the inside of his blocker pad. He then made a point blank save on Nikita Zadorov as the Sabres took the first 15 shots of the period.
Buffalo nearly tied it on shot No. 14, when Myers' deflected shot skittered to a stop inside the right post before being cleared away.
The Sabres had a goal disallowed at 16:08 when Marcus Foligno was deemed to have made incidental contact with Lehner moments before Mike Weber's slap shot beat the Ottawa goalie high and right.
Buffalo's 21 second-period shots were a season high.
NOTES: Sabres C Cody Hodgson missed his second straight game as a healthy scratch. ... Lehner made his sixth straight start for Ottawa. Backup Andrew Hammond has not played for the Senators this season.