The Panthers return to the ice less than 24 hours after one of their best performances of the season. Florida hosts the Sabres at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday in the second half of a crucial back-to-back for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions.
Buffalo goaltender Alex Lyon could draw the start against his former teammates. The 32-year-old spent parts of three seasons with the Panthers organization before joining the Sabres. Lyon has posted a 14-8-3 record with a 2.72 goals-against average and .913 save percentage across 27 appearances this season.
Florida Panthers are desperate for more points to stay in playoff chase
The Panthers routed the Maple Leafs 5-1 on Thursday night in their first game back from the Olympic break. Brad Marchand scored twice while Evan Rodrigues, Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk each found the back of the net.
Florida sits eight points out of a playoff spot with 24 games remaining. The defending champions understand the urgency of their situation heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
“Everybody understands what we need to do, and that’s very important,” goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said after stopping 29 of 30 shots against Toronto.
“It’s a big win; it’s two big points for us, but tomorrow is another biggest game of the year. “
Daniil Tarasov is expected to start against the Sabres after backing up Bobrovsky on Thursday. The 25-year-old has an 8-8-2 record with a 2.83 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in 19 appearances.
The Sabres returned from the break with a 2-1 victory at New Jersey on Wednesday. Buffalo holds the first wild card position in the Eastern Conference with a 33-19-6 record and 72 points.
Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with 31 goals and 61 points. The American forward helped Team USA capture Olympic gold alongside Tkachuk in Milan. Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin sit tied for second on the roster with 48 points apiece.
The Sabres have dominated the season series with a 2-1-0 record against the Panthers. Buffalo outscored Florida 11-7 across those three meetings and converted on 33.3 percent of its power-play opportunities. The Panthers lost their most recent matchup 5-3 on February 2 in Buffalo.
Verhaeghe has recorded four assists in three games against the Sabres this season. Florida dominated the first period against Toronto on Thursday, leading 3-0 in goals and 17-4 in scoring chances. The Panthers are 13-3-1 when leading after the opening frame, making fast starts essential during their playoff push.
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