Derek Roy, Ales Kotalik and Daniel Paille added a goal and an assist each, and Jason Pominville also scored for the Sabres, who had lost their first two games of the season.

Buffalo scored three power-play goals in the first period.

The Thrashers, last season’s Southeast Division-champs, have dropped their first four games of the season, their worst start since losing nine straight to open the 2002-03 season. In their four losses, Atlanta has scored only four goals.

Atlanta goalie Kari Lehtonen finished with 15 saves before being lifted for Johan Hedberg to start the third period. Hedberg made seven saves.

The Thrashers were without forward Marian Hossa for the second straight game.

Hossa, who had team highs of 43 goals and 57 assists last season, hurt his groin during practice Monday.

The Sabres netted the game’s first three goals in a 9:07 span in the first period, starting with Kotalik’s power-play goal 3 minutes in. Making his season debut after missing the first two games with a knee injury, Kotalik shoveled the puck into an open net while standing next to the left post two feet from the goal line.

Connolly made it 2-0 with another power-play goal at 11:01. With the Sabres already enjoying a one-man advantage, Connolly scored while a delayed penalty was about to be called on the Thrashers’ Jim Slater.

Campbell’s power-play goal made it 3-0 just 66 seconds later when his slap shot from the right point deflected off a stick in front of Lehtonen.

Pominville increased Buffalo’s lead to 4-0 with a short-handed goal with 7« minutes left in the second period, and Roy made it 5-0 with just 2.8 seconds left in the middle frame.

Paille capped the scoring at 19:33 of the third.