Panthers Face Crucial Test as Surging Sabres Come to Town
It’s not often you see the Florida Panthers looking up at the Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference standings - but that’s exactly where things stand tonight as the two teams meet in Sunrise. And for a Panthers squad trying to claw its way back into playoff position, this one carries some serious weight.
Florida enters the night riding a three-game skid, all tight, one-goal losses - the kind that sting a little more because they’ve come down to late-game breakdowns. They’ve dropped games to Utah, St.
Louis, and Winnipeg, and now sit eight points behind Buffalo with 28 games left on the schedule. If the Panthers are going to keep their streak of six straight playoff appearances alive, they’ll need to start making up ground - fast.
And that starts with this two-game swing against the Sabres.
Buffalo’s Long-Awaited Rise
For years, the Sabres have been a cautionary tale - a team loaded with high draft picks and promise, but little to show for it. Fourteen straight seasons without a playoff appearance is the longest drought in NHL history, and they haven’t lifted the Cup in their 55-year existence. The closest they came was back in 1999, when Brett Hull’s controversial triple-overtime goal in the Final ended their run.
But this year? This year feels different.
Buffalo has found its groove, going 20-4-1 since December 9. They’ve been getting elite goaltending from a familiar face: Alex Lyon.
The former Panthers netminder has been lights-out, setting a franchise record with 10 consecutive wins before taking a rare loss Saturday night against Montreal. Lyon stopped 27 of 30 shots in that game and is expected to get the nod again tonight.
His numbers this month - a 1.77 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage - speak for themselves.
Talent Taking Root in Buffalo
The Sabres’ resurgence isn’t just about goaltending. This is a team that’s finally seeing its young core come into its own.
Tage Thompson, the towering 6-foot-6 center, has blossomed into a legitimate star. Once considered a throw-in from St. Louis in the 2018 Ryan O’Reilly trade, Thompson has turned into Buffalo’s go-to scorer, with 28 goals and 56 points in 54 games this season.
Then there’s Alex Tuch, who arrived in the Jack Eichel trade with Vegas back in 2021. Tuch has become a cornerstone two-way player for the Sabres, already with two 36-goal seasons under his belt and tracking for another.
On the blue line, Rasmus Dahlin leads a dynamic group that’s adding serious offensive punch. The captain and three-time All-Star is coming off a monster five-point night against Toronto, and he’s far from alone. Alongside him, Owen Power, Bowen Byram, and Mattias Samuelsson have combined with Dahlin for 34 goals and 109 points - not bad for a defensive corps.
Buffalo’s improved special teams and better overall goal differential are more evidence that this team is no longer just potential - they’re producing.
Panthers’ Playoff Push Hits Critical Stretch
Meanwhile, the Panthers are facing a pivotal stretch with little room for error. They’ve got 59 points and 28 games to go, and the next three matchups - against Buffalo, Boston, and Tampa Bay - could very well define their season.
Tonight’s game? It’s a classic four-point swing.
Beat Buffalo, and you cut into that gap. Lose, and the hill gets steeper.
Florida has had success against the Sabres in recent years - a 10-3-0 record under Paul Maurice - and they’ve split the two meetings so far this season. But recent form hasn’t been kind.
The Panthers have dropped three straight by a single goal, with each game-winner coming late in the third period. Those are the kinds of losses that test a team’s resolve.
After Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Winnipeg, Maurice didn’t sugarcoat it.
“We played hard,” he said. “We played our asses off.
It’s tight right now with some of our challenges. We’ve just got to keep the faith.
Maybe that’s the test of where we’re at. That’s the thing to win this year.
You keep your belief and you keep your fight when it’s going against you.”
That’s the mindset they’ll need tonight.
What’s at Stake
This is Game No. 55 for Florida, and it’s not hyperbole to call it a must-win. With the Olympic break looming, the Panthers need momentum - and points - to stay in the hunt.
Buffalo is surging. Florida is searching. And with the standings tightening up, the margin for error is razor-thin.
Buckle up - this one matters.