Sabres Surge Past Panthers As Playoff Race Intensifies

The Buffalo Sabres are riding a wave of momentum that has the city of Buffalo buzzing, and Monday night in Sunrise, Florida, was just the latest chapter in their remarkable midseason surge. Facing the two-time Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, the Sabres delivered a total-team effort, overcoming an early deficit to secure a 5-3 victory and further solidify their place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. With 10 different skaters registering points and Alex Lyon turning in a stellar performance between the pipes, Buffalo continued to show why they’ve been the NHL’s hottest team since early December.

But there’s more at play than just the latest win. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who took over the front office in mid-December, has so far resisted making major roster changes, opting to let his red-hot squad ride its current form. The Sabres have posted a stunning 20-4-1 record over their last 25 games, catapulting from the Eastern Conference basement into a wild-card spot. Their resurgence has ignited the fanbase, with long-suffering supporters making their way back to downtown Buffalo, hoping to witness the end of a 14-year playoff drought.

Yet, with the March 6 NHL trade deadline looming, the pressure is mounting on Kekalainen to make moves that could push the team over the top. Other Eastern Conference contenders, including the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, and Montreal Canadiens, are reportedly in hot pursuit of Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri. The 35-year-old Canadian, with 745 points in 1,039 career NHL games and 52 games of playoff experience, is exactly the type of player who could tip the balance in a tightly contested Atlantic Division.

"Kadri is a perfect example of a player who can tip the scales in a close Eastern Conference race," reported Marco D'Amico of RG, highlighting just how high the stakes are. If Kadri lands with Detroit or Montreal, both of whom are neck-and-neck with Buffalo for divisional placement, it could be enough to shift the playoff race in their favor, especially if the Sabres stand pat.

On the ice Monday, the Sabres were tested early. The Panthers struck just 37 seconds into the game on a fortuitous bounce, and then doubled their lead at 5:54 of the first period. But Buffalo’s response was swift and emphatic. Tage Thompson, leading by example, notched his team-leading 29th goal of the season at 15:03, using a cheeky move inside the blue line to create space and snap a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky. With just 1:34 left in the opening frame, Peyton Krebs tied things up, burying a centering feed from Rasmus Dahlin for his seventh goal of the campaign.

The second period turned into a track meet, with both teams trading chances. Sabres forward Ryan McLeod’s speed helped him win a race to a loose puck, setting up Zach Benson for his seventh goal of the season and the Sabres’ first lead of the night. Florida answered late in the period with a power-play goal, knotting the score at three heading into the third.

Early in the final period, Buffalo suffered a setback when Benson crashed hard into the end boards after a partial breakaway, injuring his left arm and leaving the game. Despite the loss, the Sabres pressed on. Jason Zucker put Buffalo ahead 4-3 with a power-play goal at 5:31, his 14th of the season, and Josh Doan sealed the deal with a late tally, assisted by Krebs, who finished with his first career three-point game (one goal, two assists). The win put 10 points between Buffalo (69 points) and the Panthers (59 points) in the playoff race and left the Sabres just one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for second place in the Atlantic Division.

Head coach Lindy Ruff praised the team’s resilience and the contributions from up and down the lineup. "That’s exactly what the Buffalo Sabres got on Monday night. 10 different skaters got a point, and Alex Lyon stood on his head down at Amerant Bank Arena," noted WGR Sports Radio 550, capturing the essence of the Sabres’ collective effort.

Off the ice, the Sabres made a few roster moves ahead of their busy pre-Olympic stretch. On Sunday, defenseman Zac Jones was demoted while winger Isak Rosen was recalled. Rosen, who has been lighting it up with 20 goals in 28 games for AHL Rochester, has contributed seven points (three goals, four assists) in 13 NHL games this season. Blueliner Jacob Bryson was activated from injured reserve after skating over the weekend, providing much-needed depth on the back end.

Injury updates were also front and center. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who suffered a leg injury in Toronto last week, is making progress and is slated to be the third goalie for Finland in the upcoming Winter Olympics, provided his recovery stays on track. Center Josh Norris, recovering from a rib injury sustained against Philadelphia in January, is close to 100% but may be rested during the Sabres’ current stretch of three games in four nights, a decision Ruff described as "the better course of action."

Looking ahead, the Sabres face a quick turnaround with a critical matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, February 3, at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa. The Lightning, who boast a 53-50-17 all-time record against Buffalo (including a 26-25-10 mark at home), present a formidable challenge. Nikita Kucherov, tied with Steven Stamkos as the franchise’s leading scorer against the Sabres, and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who owns a 13-2-3 record and .913 save percentage in his career versus Buffalo, will be key figures to watch.

The Lightning took two of three games against Buffalo last season and will be looking to start their four-game season series on the right foot. For the Sabres, the game is another chance to prove their resurgence is for real and to keep pace—or even leapfrog—the Red Wings in the Atlantic standings.

Meanwhile, the NHL trade deadline looms large. With other contenders eyeing high-profile reinforcements like Kadri, the Sabres’ front office faces a pivotal decision. Will Kekalainen make the bold moves that eluded his predecessor, Kevyn Adams, whose reluctance to act at previous deadlines often left Buffalo a step behind? Or will the team bet on its current chemistry and hope the magic continues?

One thing’s for sure: the city is alive with hope, and the Party in the Plaza celebrations feel tantalizingly close. The next few weeks will reveal if this Sabres squad has what it takes to end the playoff drought and make a deep postseason run. For now, the action is ongoing, and Buffalo’s fans have every reason to believe that something special is brewing on the ice.