Sabres vs Panthers: playoff “four-pointer” hits Sunrise as injuries reshape both lineups

The Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers meet Monday night in Sunrise for a matchup that feels bigger than a typical early-February game. Buffalo arrives holding a narrow grip on an Atlantic playoff spot, while Florida is trying to halt a slide that’s tightened the race behind them. With the season series tied and both teams leaning on patchwork lineups, this one carries the kind of standings weight that shows up again in April.

Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at Amerant Bank Arena.

Where things stand in the Atlantic

Buffalo enters at 31-18-5 (67 points), sitting in the middle of the Atlantic pack but still in position to control its own destiny. Florida is 28-23-3 (59 points), chasing and needing points urgently after a stretch of close losses.

These are the matchups coaches call “four-pointers” because the standings swing feels doubled: one team gains two points, and the other loses the chance to gain them. With both clubs in the same division and both eyeing the same tier of opponents, the stakes are easy to read.

Sabres vs Panthers at a glance

Projected starters and the injury picture

The headline for Buffalo is in net. With Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on injured reserve, Alex Lyon has been asked to carry more of the workload and is projected to start again. Buffalo’s lineup also reflects missing pieces up front, with Josh Norris close but not expected to play, and Jordan Greenway still out.

Florida’s list is even more disruptive for a team built around a deep top six. The Panthers are missing key forwards Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell, and they’ve also been without Brad Marchand. On the blue line, Seth Jones remains sidelined. Florida is projected to start Sergei Bobrovsky, who has taken on a heavier load as the team tries to steady itself defensively.

The practical impact: Buffalo’s structure has held up because its defense corps can move the puck and keep shifts clean, while Florida has had to re-stack lines and ask different players to drive play in Barkov’s usual minutes.

The chess match: Buffalo’s pace vs Florida’s push

Buffalo’s best version this season has been built on quick exits and fast entries—get the puck into space, let skill do the work, and avoid extended defensive-zone chaos. The Benson–Thompson–Tuch line is the obvious engine, and Buffalo’s back end (led by Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power) can turn one stop into an attack in a few seconds.

Florida, meanwhile, tends to look most like itself when it can turn the game into a forecheck grind: pressure the wall, win the next puck, and force opponents into hurried decisions. Without Barkov and Lundell, the Panthers have leaned harder on Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, and Matthew Tkachuk to create offense—and to carry the emotional temperature when games get chippy.

A key swing factor is special teams. Both clubs have been hovering around league-average on the power play and penalty kill, which makes discipline unusually important. In a tight game, one careless stick penalty can decide it.

What to watch during the game

The matchup breaks down into three “tell me who’s in control” checkpoints:

• First 10 minutes: If Florida establishes the forecheck early, Buffalo can get pinned and spend too long defending. If Buffalo skates out clean, it often dictates the pace.

• Net-front battles: Florida’s offense thrives when it turns shots into chaos. Buffalo will want a cleaner, perimeter game that limits second chances.

• Goalie rebound control: Lyon has been strong when he sees pucks cleanly; Bobrovsky is at his best when he’s not forced into repeated scrambles. Whoever looks calmer through traffic usually gives his team the edge.

What’s next for both teams

This isn’t a one-off. Buffalo’s schedule tightens immediately with a road game the next night in Tampa Bay, then a home date later in the week. Florida stays home to face Boston on Wednesday before heading to Tampa Bay on Thursday. The compressed week raises the value of banking points now—especially for Florida, which can’t afford many empty nights at home.

The teams see each other again soon, too, with another meeting in Sunrise later this month. That rematch gives this game extra intrigue: whatever tactics and matchups show up Monday night could be a preview of how both clubs try to solve the other the next time the points feel even heavier.

Sources consulted: National Hockey League; ESPN; Sportsnet; Associated Press