Lightning 3, Sabres 0: Rookie Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 28 shots for his first NHL shutout as Tampa Bay posted its 13th victory in its last 15 home games.


Captain Steven Stamkos recorded his 36th goal while Ryan Callahan and defenseman Victor Hedman netted power-play tallies for the Lightning. Vasilevskiy made 10 saves in the first period and stopped 14 in the final 20 minutes of his 11th career game for Tampa Bay, which moved within three points of first-place Montreal in the Atlantic Division.

Former Lightning goaltender Anders Lindback made 32 saves in his first game with the Sabres since being acquired from Dallas last month. Buffalo, which dealt five players at the trade deadline on Monday, lost to the Lightning for the fourth straight time since beating them in a shootout on Dec. 2.

Stamkos opened the scoring with 3:23 left in the first period with a quick release from the right faceoff circle that beat Lindback to the short side after the puck deflected off Sabres defenseman Nikita Zadorov’s stick. Callahan doubled the lead during a 5-on-3 power play 2:48 into the second session, stationing himself in front to knock home Tyler Johnson’s pass from below the end line.

Hedman extended the advantage 1:36 later, whipping a low shot from the right circle past Lindback on the stick side for his eighth goal. Tampa Bay finished with a 17-4 advantage in shots during the middle session before the Sabres made the 20-year-old Vasilevskiy work for his shutout in the third.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Callahan reached the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in his career and first since 2011-12 with the New York Rangers. ... Stamkos has scored eight goals in his last nine contests. ... Buffalo RW Jerry D’Amigo made his debut with the team after suiting up for 22 games with Toronto last season, while C Zac Dalpe played his 100th NHL contest. ... Tampa Bay improved to 12-3-2 against Atlantic Division opponents.