Sabres Vs Panthers — sabres vs panthers Odds and Picks for Friday Night

The Florida Panthers host the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, Feb. 27 at Amerant Bank Arena with a 7 p. m. ET start, and early game models favor the Panthers in what has become a key late-season meeting. The sabres vs panthers matchup carries playoff implications: Buffalo sits at 72 points while the Panthers are listed with 63 points, creating different urgencies for each club.

sabres vs panthers predictions and odds

Betting-oriented lines and projection models included an ATS pick of Panthers (-1. 5), an Over/Under pick of Under (6. 5), and a straight score prediction of Panthers 4, Sabres 2. Brad Marchand and Rasmus Dahlin are singled out as leaders for Florida and Buffalo, respectively, in those projections. The game time is 7 p. m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena.

Sabres Vs Panthers lineup notes

Buffalo arrives off a 2-1 win on Wednesday in New Jersey and remains comfortably inside the Eastern Conference playoff picture with 72 points, treating the final 24 games as incremental steps toward postseason seeding. Forward Tage Thompson, who had a goal and an assist in New Jersey, emphasized the importance of each point: "We have something really good going here, and I think every point – especially at this point in the season, going forward – is crucial for us. "

Zach Benson joined the team in Florida and was on the ice for the morning skate; he has not been officially ruled out for Friday but was initially not expected to play the road trip. The morning skate showed unchanged forward lines and defensive pairs from the New Jersey win, while the power play received a tweak: Josh Doan moved to the net-front position with a unit that includes Tage Thompson on the left flank, Jason Zucker at the bumper, Josh Norris on the right flank and Rasmus Dahlin at the point. Buffalo was 0-for-3 on the power play in New Jersey and surrendered two shorthanded breakaways, prompting coach Lindy Ruff to stress a focus on simplifying and puck retrievals coming out of that game.

Florida, described as injury-ridden in recent coverage, sits at 63 points and faces a climb to return to the playoffs and defend back-to-back titles. Buffalo is 2-1-0 against Florida this season, including a 5-3 win in Sunrise earlier in the schedule, and the Panthers remain capable of pushing for results despite their current challenges.

Ex-Flyers goalie having strong year

Goaltending figures prominently: Alex Lyon is expected to start in goal for Buffalo. Lyon has recent numbers that stand out — across 27 appearances this season with Buffalo he has a 14-8-3 record, a. 912 save percentage and a 2. 72 goals-against average, including two shutouts. Earlier in his career he signed a two-year, $3 million contract with Buffalo in free agency; the prior season he posted a 14-9-1 mark with a. 896 save percentage and a 2. 81 goals-against average in 30 games with another team.

Lyon has also been effective specifically against Florida this season, stopping 71 of 74 shots in two starts versus the Panthers — both wins. His recent form and the prospect of him starting Friday night feed directly into Buffalo's chances to secure another road point.

Key takeaways:

• Game time: Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p. m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena.
• Projected betting lean: Panthers (-1. 5), O/U Under 6. 5, score pick Panthers 4–Sabres 2.
• Buffalo holds 72 points; Florida has 63 points—different stakes for each team late in the season.

Forward look: if Buffalo's recent adjustments on the power play and Alex Lyon's strong save percentage hold up, the Sabres can make the game competitive on the road. Conversely, if Florida's key contributors produce and the Panthers overcome their injury issues, the prediction models favor Florida securing a home victory. Uncertainties remain around final lineups and any late availability decisions; those will affect in-game dynamics once dressed rosters are announced before puck drop.