Craig Anderson made 21 of his 46 saves in the third period and the Ottawa Senators held off the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 on Thursday night in the first game of a home-and-home series.

Ryan Dzingel, Dylan DeMelo, Colin White and Bobby Ryan, into an empty net, scored for the Senators. Thomas Chabot and Mark Stone each had two assists.

Jason Pominville, playing in his 1,000th NHL game, and Jeff Skinner scored for the Sabres, and Carter Hutton made 28 saves.

Ottawa Senators right wing Mark Stone (61) and center Matt Duchene (95) celebrate a goal on Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean KilpatrickThe Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators right wing Mark Stone (61) and center Matt Duchene (95) celebrate a goal on Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean KilpatrickThe Canadian Press via AP)

Buffalo scored twice in the first minutes of the third period to cut it to 3-2.

Pominville scored 59 seconds in when he tipped a point shot from Jack Eichel past Anderson. Skinner scored on the power play at 3:55 on a near identical goal as he tipped Rasmus Ristolainen's point shot.

NOTES: The Senators played the 1,000th home game in franchise history. ... Erik Burgdoerfer and Mark Borowiecki were scratches for the Senators. Evan Rodrigues, Tage Thompson and Nathan Beaulieu were scratches for the Sabres.

Ottawa Senators right wing Mark Stone (61) and center Matt Duchene (95) celebrate an Ottawa goal on Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean KilpatrickThe Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators right wing Mark Stone (61) and center Matt Duchene (95) celebrate an Ottawa goal on Buffalo Sabres goaltender Carter Hutton, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean KilpatrickThe Canadian Press via AP)

UP NEXT:

The teams meet again in Buffalo on Saturday.

Ottawa Senators right wing Bobby Ryan (9) gets hit by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian (4) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean KilpatrickThe Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators right wing Bobby Ryan (9) gets hit by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian (4) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean KilpatrickThe Canadian Press via AP)

 Ottawa Senators left wing Ryan Dzingel celebrates a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean KilpatrickThe Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators left wing Ryan Dzingel celebrates a goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, in Ottawa, Ontario. (Sean KilpatrickThe Canadian Press via AP)