Main storyline: The Sabres are in the midst of a successful streak, winning seven of their past ten games. They’ve moved out of last place in the league and have went up a few spots in the league standings. Tonight, Buffalo look to beat the Panthers for the first time this season in what will be their third attempt.
Season series: It’s the third of five meetings this season and the Panthers have already won the first two games of the season series, each by a goal. The Panthers shut out the Sabres 1-0 at the First Niagara Center in October and more recently won by a score of 3-2 earlier this month.
Where they stand: The Sabres are still last in the Atlantic Division, but have been playing well over the last ten games or so. The Panthers are fifth in the division with seven more points than the Sabres, but Florida do have two games in hand.
Recent performance: The Sabres are coming off a pair of wins against two Western Conference teams. After defeating the defending Stanley Cup Champions 1-0, Buffalo edged out the Flames with a 4-3 victory. The Panthers are fresh off a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings on Friday night.
Buffalo notes: After going 7-3 in their past 10 games, the Sabres have been surprising many of their opponents. The goaltending has been sharp, and the recent success has the team out of dead last in the league.
“We don’t think we’re the best team in the world, but at least we deserve respect the rest of this league gets,” Ted Nolan said. “We’re going out to compete and battle and try to win. I mean, even if you do all those things right all the time, it doesn’t guarantee you wins.”
Opponent notes: The Panthers have won consecutive games just once this season but will look to match that tonight in Buffalo.
“We played well and these points tonight, we need these two points,” Huberdeau said. “We’re a good team. When we want to play, we’re a great team. That’s what we want to do: Play hard and not quit.”
Conclusion: The Sabres continue their homestand and after winning the first two games so far, they’ll look to beat the Panthers for the first time this season. Tonight’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m. and can be seen on MSG.