Sabres 4, Bruins 2: Drew Stafford scored to snap a tie with 5:41 remaining in the third period as Buffalo posted back-to-back victories for the first time this season by winning the opener of a home-and-home series with visiting Boston.

Marcus Foligno and Brian Flynn each collected a goal and an assist and defenseman Tyler Myers also tallied as the Sabres improved to 3-0-1 in their last four contests. Ryan Miller turned aside 34 shots to improve to 26-9-7 in his career versus the Bruins.

Brad Marchand scored twice in a 74-second span early in the second period for his ninth career two-goal game. Chad Johnson finished with 19 saves for Boston, which has dropped two of three following a four-game winning streak.

Although the Bruins held a 15-5 edge in shots in the third period, Stafford snapped a 2-2 tie after skating behind the net before tucking a wraparound past Johnson for his third goal. Myers scored 80 seconds later after cheating in and wristing a shot from the right circle for Buffalo, which also posted a 4-2 victory over Winnipeg on Tuesday.

After his actions in Vancouver caused stern comments from his own coach and general manager, Marchand scored a short-handed goal 1:50 into the second period before giving Boston its first lead after one-timing a circle-to-circle pass from Patrice Bergeron. Foligno knotted it up by tapping home a loose puck after defenseman Jamie McBain's shot hit him on the doorstep with 2:49 remaining in the session.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Boston coach Claude Julien and GM Peter Chiarelli took issue with Marchand after the 25-year-old pretended to lift the Stanley Cup and kissed his ring finger in front of the Canucks on Saturday. ... Boston D David Warsofsky made his NHL debut after being recalled from Providence of the American Hockey League on Wednesday. ... Buffalo C Cody Hodgson suffered an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return. ... The teams will reconvene at TD Garden in Boston on Saturday. ... Buffalo acquired LW Linus Omark from Edmonton in a trade for a conditional sixth-round pick.