Sabres at Panthers
The Buffalo Sabres' hot streak came to a screeching halt in Tampa Bay but they will look to earn a split of their two-game trip to the Sunshine State when they visit the Florida Panthers on Saturday. The Sabres had won six of seven games following a shootout win over the Lightning on Tuesday, but Tampa Bay avenged that defeat with a 5-0 beating on Thursday. Buffalo has dropped four in a row to Florida, including a 1-0 home loss on Oct. 17.
The Panthers suffered a crushing 4-3 shootout defeat to visiting Columbus on Thursday, wasting a comeback from a three-goal deficit after unleashing a franchise record-tying 55 shots on net. "Anytime you get 55 shots you should win the game," Florida coach Gerard Gallant told reporters. "It didn't happen tonight." The Panthers are 4-2-2 over their past eight games, a span in which seven of them have been decided by one goal.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Florida
ABOUT THE SABRES (9-15-2): Backup goaltender Michal Neuvirth will make his first start since Nov. 18, when he was injured in the first period and had to yield to Jhonas Enroth, who was in net for the next six games. “You can tell he’s got a lot of confidence right now and that’s a big part of our game," Neuvirth said of Enroth. "I’ve got to work hard in practice and when I get a chance, I’ve got to be good." Drew Stafford, who is third on the team in scoring, is expected to rejoin the lineup after missing three games.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (10-7-7): Thursday's loss extended a trend for Florida, which has a league-worst seven losses in games decided in overtime or a shootout. With the Panthers sporting a 1-4 record in the bonus format, Gallant is mulling the idea of giving Vincent Trocheck and Brandon Pirri prominent chances if the game extends beyond overtime. "You have to wait for your opportunity and make the most of it," Pirri said. "You got to think of something new because they figure you out pretty quick. With our goalies, we need one goal."
OVERTIME
1. Panthers C Nick Bjugstad scored twice Thursday to give him eight goals in 10 games.
2. Buffalo F Cody Hodgson, a 20-goal scorer in 2013-14, has one this season and is mired in a 17-game point drought.
3. Florida has killed of 18-of-19 short-handed situations over the past seven games.