"I think tonight's game is one of those games where you think you might be playing OK, but whether you're outshooting or out-chancing them and out-possessing them but you're still behind for reasons," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. "We've been playing with that danger all year long of giving up goals that don't even look like there is a chance it ends up in our net and all of a sudden you're down a goal, down two goals. We've got to make them earn them."
Connolly scored from the top of the left circle on the power play to make it 4-2 at 3:08 of the third period.
Girgensons pushed his own rebound past Montembeault at the side of the net at 13:25 for the 5-2 final.
"That's what we need, we need other lines scoring," Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said. "I thought we had a real strong training day of practice [Saturday]. We had multiple meetings since the Boston game (a 3-2 loss on Thursday), and I never felt anybody lose spirit or lose confidence in what we're doing here. That's one of the reasons the group was able to step up today."