After an absolutely fantastic comeback win against the Washington Capitals last game, the Florida Panthers will be looking to carry over that momentum against the Buffalo Sabres. Luckily for them, they just so happen to be at home, so the fans should certainly energize them.
Buffalo Sabres (8-11-3) vs. Florida Panthers (15-4-3)
When looking at these two Atlantic Division teams, it’s rather apparent that one is a true contender, while the other is a rebuilder. Even with this being the case, the Panthers must come out with a high amount of energy. Even though the Sabres aren’t necessarily dominant, they do play with a lot of overall effort. This is a major reason why Buffalo is actually playing a bit better than many expected them to. Although eight wins in 22 games is nothing to brag about, it really could be a lot worse when looking at their current group.
This will be the first time that these two teams meet this season and it’s pretty safe to say an abundance has changed since the last time they played. The Sabres are now without Jack Eichel, Rasmus Ristolainen, Linus Ullmark and Jake McCabe. Oh yeah, and that doesn’t even include current Panthers, Sam Reinhart and Brandon Montour. Florida of course acquired each of them via trade from the Sabres.
Some predictions for the Panthers
- Reinhart and Montour each need to have big games against their former team, right? Although neither left Buffalo with much animosity, players tend to put up big performances when they play against their old teammates. Expect to see that tonight.
- Some fans may not realize that Joe Thornton has been playing quite well as of late. He has a goal and an assist over his last two games. Depth scoring and veteran leadership is exactly why Florida signed the 42-year-old over the summer and tonight, we should see more of that from the future Hall of Famer.
Alas, the Panthers will be looking for their 16th win of the year. Don’t let this slip away, as these are the contests that contenders need to be victorious in.