The Buffalo Sabres headed southwest across the state of Florida to take on the Florida Panthers, at the BB&T Center.
This game started out very quickly, as both teams had a few chances each, but nothing came of it.
Things would get heated early in Florida, when Marcus Foligno was given a 5 minute major and a game misconduct for boarding, at 6:16 in the first, on a disputed call. That would mean Foligno’s night was over, after just 2:30 of ice time.
Buffalo was less than five seconds away from killing off the major penalty, when Jesse Winchester scored his 9th goal of the season, at 11:11 in the first.
After twenty minutes, the Sabres would trail the Panthers, 1-0.
Entering the second period, the Sabres looked to turned things around but that would not be the case.
Buffalo had a handful of offensive changes, including Tyler Ennis at the mouth of Florida’s goal, but nothing would give for the Sabres.
Not only would the Panthers lead the Sabres 1-0 after two, but Florida would be outshooting Buffalo 30-13.
The third, and final, period began with the Sabres completing a holdover penalty kill. Buffalo looked for this to be a momentum shifter, but that would not appear to be the case.
As the period continued, the Sabres continued to shoot themselves in the foot.
Matt D’Agostini would take a careless high sticking penalty at 3:18 in the third. Shortly thereafter, the Sabres would be hemmed in their own zone. This would lead to a Dmitry Kulikov screen shot getting past Michal Neuvirth. Kulikov’s 7th goal of the season at , on the power play, put Florida up 2-0.
Buffalo would be unable to muster up anything throughout the rest of the third period.
Six of the final twenty minutes were spent on the penalty kill, and that crushed any chance for the Sabres to put together any consistent offensive pressure.
After all was said and done, the Sabres would fall to the Panthers, 2-0.
This loss puts the Buffalo Sabres at 19-36-8 with 46 points on the season.
Buffalo takes the ice again on this Sunday night, when they host the Chicago Blackhawks. Puck drop will happen shortly after 7:30 PM and the game will be broadcast nationally on NBCSN.