Sabres at Panthers
THE STORY: The Florida Panthers are making a bid to move up in the Eastern Conference standings. The Buffalo Sabres are lurking outside of the top eight, but have come on strong with a 9-2-2 record in their last 13 games. The Panthers have scored 13 goals in winning their last three contests while the Sabres have lived on the edge, going past regulation in three straight.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), FSFL (Florida)
ABOUT THE SABRES (33-29-9): Buffalo sits in 10th place in the East, three points behind the Washington Capitals. The Sabres have left some points on the ice in their past two games, squandering one-goal leads near the end of regulation. That did not hurt Buffalo in a 3-2 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, but it did during Wednesday's eventual 5-4 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Buffalo could have used defenseman Tyler Myers, who was serving the first contest of a three-game suspension for a hit on Montreal’s Scott Gomez.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (34-23-13): Florida leads Washington by three points in the Southeast Division and sits in third place in the East, three points behind second-place Ottawa. The Panthers have gone 1-1-1 in three games against the Sabres this season, with the lone victory coming with a 3-2 win at Buffalo on Oct. 29. The teams have not met since the Sabres secured a 2-1 overtime win on Dec. 9, when captain Jason Pominville beat Scott Clemmensen in the extra period. Florida has given more time to Jose Theodore lately and has been rewarded with some strong performances. The veteran netminder has not allowed more than two goals in any of his last four starts. Florida is also starting to pick it up in the offensive zone with 11 goals in the last two games.
OVERTIME:
1. Buffalo’s schedule is not working in its favor. The Sabres, who play seven of their final 11 games on the road, are 15-18-1 away from home.
2. Florida RW Scottie Upshall (sports hernia) and RW Kris Versteeg (lower body) could both be available on Saturday.
3. The Sabres have taken four of the last five games in the series.