Vitek Vanecek stops 21 shots in Florida debut, Panthers blank Sabres 4-0 for sixth straight win

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Vitek Vanecek stopped all 21 shots he faced in his Florida debut, and the Panthers beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 on Saturday night.

A.J. Greer, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett all scored as the Panthers won their sixth-straight game. Vanecek, acquired from San Jose on Wednesday, got his first shutout of the season and 10th of his career.

Captain Aleksander Barkov had an assist, giving him six points in his past two games. Nate Schmidt added two assists.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, made 32 saves for the Sabres, who lost their sixth straight game.

Sabres: Buffalo could not get much going on offense despite entering the game with the the 11th-ranked offense in the NHL at 3.18 goals per game. The Sabres have been outscored 28-14 during their losing streak.

Panthers: Florida has outscored opponents 20-5 during its winning streak. The Panthers have not trailed in a game in two weeks and have killed off 19 straight penalties.

With under three minutes left in the second, Lundell made it 3-0 when he put home Schmidt's rebound for his 15th goal of the season.

Aaron Ekblad's assist on Verhaeghe's goal extended his assist streak to six games, which ties the longest assist streak by a Panthers defenseman in franchise history. The other blueliners to record a six-game streak with the Panthers: Brandon Montour (2022-23), MacKenzie Weegar (2020-21), Jay Bouwmeester (2005-06) and Robert Svehla (1995-96).

Sabres host Edmonton on Monday, and Panthers play at Boston on Tuesday to begin a six-game trip.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) goes for the puck against Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) and center Aleksander Barkov (16) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (23) and Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23), right, go for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, left, defends a shot on the goal by Florida Panthers center Nico Sturm (8) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) reacts after Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell, not shown, scored a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers left wing Tomas Nosek (92) skates with the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Buffalo Sabres right wing JJ Peterka (77) attempts a shot on the goal as Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers goaltender Vitek Vanecek (41) and defenseman Seth Jones (3) defend the goal against Buffalo Sabres center Joshua Norris (13) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) reacts after scoring a goal against Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (1) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) is congratulated by defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Florida Panthers goaltender Vitek Vanecek (41) defends the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest serving legislator in the state's history, died Sunday. He was 79.

Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.

“Gov. Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey's family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey's official page.

"Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather -- and New Jersey lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him," the family said.

Known for his feisty, regular-guy persona, Codey was a staunch advocate of mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also championed legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.

Codey, the son of a northern New Jersey funeral home owner, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as Senate president from 2002 to 2010.

Codey first served as acting governor for a brief time in 2002, after Christine Todd Whitman’s resignation to join President George W. Bush’s administration. He held the post again for 14 months after Gov. Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.

At that time, New Jersey law mandated that the Senate president assume the governor’s role if a vacancy occurred, and that person would serve until the next election.

Codey routinely drew strong praise from residents in polls, and he gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders opted to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win the office.

Codey would again become acting governor after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries he suffered in a car accident. He held the post for nearly a month before Corzine resumed his duties.

After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir that detailed his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.

“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility to others,” his family wrote. “He made friends as easily with Presidents as he did with strangers in all-night diners.”

Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, and that led to controversy in early 2005, when a talk radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on the air.

Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him that he wished he could “take him outside.” But the host claimed Codey actually threatened to “take him out,” which Codey denied.

His wife told The Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.

“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get elected again.’”

Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.

FILE - New Jersey State Sen. and former Democratic Gov. Richard Codey is seen before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature at the statehouse, in Trenton, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)