SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Buffalo Sabres, with five rookies on their roster, are growing up in a hurry.

One of those rookies, 6-foot-3 Sweden native Linus Ullmark, earned the win in just his sixth NHL game, stopping 36 shots -- three in the final minute, including one off his facemask.

Backed by Ullmark, the Sabres, who had lost eight straight games against Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, snapped that streak, prevailing 3-2 on Thursday night at the BB&T Center.

"It's going to happen -- you can't have a team's number forever," said Luongo, who made 16 saves. "(The Sabres) are playing well. They've beaten some good teams."

The Panthers pulled Luongo with 1:55 remaining and had a sustained attack in the final 60 seconds. Perhaps their best chance came on a shot by defenseman Dmitry Kulikov.

Ullmark had lost his stick, but Kulikov's shot bounced off his head.

"Linus had to make one with his forehead," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. "We had six guys in and around the cage fighting it out (in the final minute)."

The Sabres (8-8-0) got their first win against Luongo since 2010 and passed the Panthers (6-7-3) in the Atlantic Division standings.

This marks the first time in 930 days that the Sabres have been a .500 team. The last instance was on the final day of the 2012-2013 season. The Sabres also have their first three-game win streak since December of 2014.

Buffalo got goals from right winger Brian Gionta, defenseman Cody Franson and rookie center Sam Reinhart. It was the first goal of the season for Gionta, a two-time 40-goal scorer who had 13 markers last season.

In addition to Ullmark and Reinhart, Buffalo's rookies are centers Jack Eichel and Tim Schaller and defenseman Jake McCabe.

Florida got goals by left winger Jonathan Huberdeau and center Vincent Trocheck. Huberdeau's goal ended a drought by the NHL's 2012-2013 Rookie of the Year. Huberdeau had 15 goals last season.

Trocheck's goal came on a deflection off a shot by defenseman Aaron Ekblad with 4:00 left in the third period.

The Sabres went up 2-1 with 1:07 left in the second period. Playing at even strength, Buffalo kept the puck in the Panthers zone for 73 seconds before finally scoring on Franson's slap shot.

Buffalo went up 3-1 on Reinhart's power-play goal with 16:22 left in the third period. After the Sabres drew a hooking call against Kulikov, Buffalo took advantage. Right winger Tyler Ennis fired a slap shot, and Reinhart deflected the puck past Luongo.

After Florida went 0-for-2 on early power-play opportunities, Buffalo opened the scoring with just 31 seconds left in the first period on Gionta's goal.

The goal was set up when left winger Matt Moulson won a battle along the boards against Panthers defenseman Willie Mitchell. Moulson centered the puck to Gionta, whose wrist shot beat Luongo high to the glove side.

"Matt made a great play in the corner," Gionta said. "I was able to have some time in the slot."

Buffalo appeared to make it 2-0 on a goal by Ennis with 13:27 left in the second period. But Florida challenged the goal, hoping for an offsides call when Buffalo entered the zone. The officials agreed with the Panthers, ruling that Eichel was offsides, disallowing the goal.

"It was the correct call," Bylsma conceded. "It was very deflating at the time, and (Florida) carried the play for a long time after that."

Indeed, Florida tied the score 1-1 on a power-play goal by Huberdeau with 10:25 left in the second period. The opportunity arose when Buffalo center Zemgus Girgensons hooked Panthers right winger Jaromir Jagr.

There were just 21 seconds left on the power play when Huberdeau, hovering in front of the net, pounced on a rebound.

Buffalo challenged the goal, believing Huberdeau interfered with Ullmark. But the officials, seeing that Huberdeau was pushed by McCabe, ruled it a good goal.

Huberdeau was happy to end his drought but disappointed with the final result.

"We had a lot of shots, but ... missed opportunities," said Huberdeau, who hit a post in the first period. "(Kulikov) hits (Ullmark) in the helmet. ... We were unlucky."

NOTES: Panthers C Aleksander Barkov, who has missed three weeks due to a broken hand, is back at practice and is expected to return within one week. ... Florida scratched D Steven Kampfer and LW Shawn Thornton. ... Sabres coach Dan Bylsma called off Thursday's morning skate, giving his team a "beach day". ... Sabres D Mike Weber (lower body) is out. ... Buffalo also scratched LW Nicolas Deslauriers. ... Sabres rookie C Jack Eichel, who led the NCAA in scoring as an 18-year-old freshman last season with 71 points in 40 games, has not been a disappointment so far as the NHL's second overall draft pick. The Hobey Baker award winner leads Buffalo with six goals. ... Sabres starting G Robin Lehner (ankle) is expected to return within the next month. Lehner, 24, acquired in an offseason trade with Ottawa, was hurt in his Sabres debut.