PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Nathan Gerbe and Luke Adam each had a goal and an assist and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Pittsburgh Penguins for the first time in almost two years, 3-2 on Saturday night.
Gerbe had a first-period goal to open the scoring, and he deftly left the puck on a drop pass for Drew Stafford's goal with 11:54 to play that gave the Sabres a two-goal lead. The Penguins lost in regulation for the first time in six games this season.
The Sabres had won in regulation only once in their past 10 trips to Pittsburgh.
James Neal scored for the third consecutive game, extending his NHL-leading goal total to five for Pittsburgh (3-1-2).
Jordan Staal added a third-period goal for the Penguins, whose streak of earning at least a point in five straight games to open the season was their best in 17 years.
Still without Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh played this one Evgeni Malkin, too. Crosby, though, took part in the morning skate and is cleared for contact. There still is no timetable for a return to game action.
Although Malkin returned with a two-point effort Thursday after missing two games, his surgically repaired right knee was sore again Saturday.
The Penguins entered on a 15-4-1 run against the Sabres -- including 8-1-1 in the past 10 meetings in Pittsburgh. The Sabres previous win over the Penguins was Dec. 29, 2009, in Buffalo.
Gerbe gave Buffalo a lead it would never relinquish Saturday with his first of the season off a rebound of a shot by Adam.
Playing for the second consecutive day after taking six days off following their season-opening trip to Europe, the Sabres controlled the first period. Adam scored with 5:55 to play, his third, off a setup from Thomas Vanek following a turnover by Penguins defenseman Kris Letang.
Neal made it 2-1 with his fourth in three home games this week 2:11 into the second. Neal corralled a puck low along the left-wing boards and wristed it toward the net. The shot caromed off the stick of Sabres defenseman Robyn Regehr, who was trying to sweep it out of danger, and found its way into the net just inside the far post.
Stafford's third goal in three games came 8:06 into the third, a period Pittsburgh dominated.
Staal's second of the season with 4:51 left pulled the Penguins to 3-2, but backup goalie Jhonas Enroth made 13 saves in the period. He didn't have to make any over the final 22 seconds, when the Penguins skated 6 on 4 due to a Derek Roy delay-of-game penalty and the fact goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled.
