Panthers at Sabres
The Florida Panthers have stumbled to back-to-back losses after going 5-1-1 in their previous seven contests. The Panthers look to get back on track when they open a season-high six-game road trip against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday. Sean Bergenheim collected two goals and an assist in the first three games of the season series and Roberto Luongo recorded his 67th career shutout in a 1-0 victory over Buffalo on Oct. 17.
Luongo made 33 saves in a 2-1 shootout loss to Montreal on Tuesday and sat out a 5-2 setback to the New York Rangers the following night but is expected to face the Sabres. Buffalo also has dropped two in a row - and six of seven (1-5-1) for that matter - as it was blitzed by Atlantic Division rivals Ottawa and Toronto this week. Captain Brian Gionta missed both contests with an upper-body injury but has tallied twice versus Florida this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Florida, MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (16-10-9): Jimmy Hayes matched a career high with his 11th goal on Wednesday, but he also was pleased with playing against one particular member of the Rangers. "It was a special moment, pretty cool, the first time we played against each other," Hayes said of facing his younger brother, Kevin. "It wasn't the outcome I wanted, but it was pretty cool." Tomas Fleischmann also tallied after being held off the scoresheet in each of his previous five contests.
ABOUT THE SABRES (14-21-3): Nikita Zadorov, who scored 29 seconds into overtime in Buffalo's 4-3 win over Florida on Dec. 13, has notched an assist in consecutive games to double his season output. Fellow defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen missed the last two contests because of the flu but is expected to return versus the Panthers. As a result, Buffalo sent fellow blue-liner Mark Pysyk back to Rochester of the American Hockey League.
OVERTIME
1. Luongo has yielded just two goals in his last four starts versus Buffalo and is 12-6-2 with a 1.84 goals-against average versus the club.
2. The Sabres have failed on all nine power-play opportunities against the Panthers this season.
3. Florida has posted a 5-0-1 mark in its last six trips to Western New York.