BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Soon after the Panthers scored yet another third-period goal, a Sabres fan was shown on the arena big screen pointing to the ice with one arm and holding his nose with the other.

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

For the Panthers, Wednesday's game might as well have been put on canvas in oil as they scored four in the final period to run away with a 6-2 win at HSBC Arena.

``We finally held a lead in the third,'' captain Bryan McCabe said. ``We played assertive, played smart and didn't turn the puck over. We stuck with the program and it worked out.''

Wednesday's win avenged Florida's embarrassing 5-2 loss to the Sabres on home ice on Oct. 21 -- with an extra goal thrown in for good measure. Unlike that game, however, the losing team was in it until late. In October, the Sabres scored five in the opening period and the Panthers never had much of a chance.

On Wednesday, Buffalo came within a goal of the Panthers with five minutes remaining. But the Panthers didn't falter and actually held a lead as Buffalo's late charge was slowed when Patrick Kaleta was called for interfering with Radek Dvorak with 2:19 left.

The Panthers then went on a scoring spree in the next 69 seconds as Florida knocked three pucks in to send the once energetic crowd home disappointed. The Panthers came into the game with losses in four of six games this season in which they entered the third holding a lead.

Michael Frolik got credited with Florida's fourth goal on that power-play chance off a long shot by McCabe; Frolik, however, said he never touched the puck. The goal could be credited to McCabe on Thursday. Rostislav Olesz (empty net with 1:48 left) and Dominic Moore (1:00) finished things off.

``It was nice, a good road win,'' said coach Pete DeBoer, whose team snapped Buffalo's three-game winning streak. ``We played a smart first 20 minutes. We're starting to look more and more like the team I think we should.''

DeBoer and a number of players praised Florida's poise and attitude coming into the game. Buffalo scored the opening goal in the first, but Frolik quickly answered and the score was tied going into the second. Stephen Weiss then put the Panthers ahead in the second, with the red-hot Cory Stillman getting his sixth goal in eight nights by knocking in a pretty pass from line mate Steven Reinprecht in the third.

The Panthers were physical and opportunistic, playing well on both sides of the ice. Goalie Tomas Vokoun was forced to make some big saves, but the Sabres' best chances were limited as Florida's defense worked the puck out of the zone on a consistent basis.

Vokoun ended up with 26 saves as Buffalo's Ryan Miller was charged with five goals -- the most he has given up all season.

``We limited their chances,'' Stillman said. ``The best thing you saw tonight was when they scored, we came back to score three more. Guys are playing with confidence even when [the other team scores.] We came right back at them, kept playing the same game.''

Florida's four goals in the third were the most in a single period so far -- and more than they've scored in 13 different games this season. The Panthers have now won six of nine as they head into a big game at defending Western Conference champion Detroit on Friday.

``It's nonstop for the next six weeks; four games a week,'' Nathan Horton said. ``We can get right back into this. That's what we're trying to do. So many games coming up, it's important we come to play.''