Sabres Vs Panthers: Malenstyn's late strike lifts Buffalo to 3-2 win
The Buffalo Sabres beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Friday at Amerant Bank Arena in a game decided late when Beck Malenstyn scored with 8: 22 remaining. The result moves Buffalo up to 74 points and leaves the Sabres 11 points ahead of Florida as they end the night in second place in the Atlantic Division.
How Malenstyn broke the tie and the challenge that followed
Beck Malenstyn scored the go-ahead goal at 11: 38 of the third period with 8: 22 remaining on a slap shot from up high that broke a 1-1 tie. Florida challenged the play for goaltender interference; officials reviewed the sequence and ruled the goal good.
Sabres Vs Panthers scoring summary and timing
| Score | Period, Time | Goal (No. ) and Assist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| BUF 1, FLA 0 | Period 1, 17: 48 (PP) | Alex Tuch from Ryan McLeod and Bowen Byram |
| BUF 1, FLA 1 | Period 2, 13: 51 (PP) | Matthew Tkachuk from Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand |
| BUF 2, FLA 1 | Period 3, 11: 38 | Beck Malenstyn from Josh Norris and Noah Ostlund |
| BUF 3, FLA 1 | Period 3, 18: 43 (EN) | Peyton Krebs from Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch |
| BUF 3, FLA 2 | Period 3, 19: 23 | Sam Bennett (unassisted) |
Contributions from Tuch and Krebs sealed the result
Alex Tuch opened the scoring on a first-period power play and later added an assist. Peyton Krebs put the game out of reach at 18: 43 of the third with an empty-net goal, his fifth empty-netter of the season, which is tied for the NHL lead.
Goaltending, season series and standings implications
Alex Lyon started in net for Buffalo and finished with 27 saves on 29 shots. Lyon improved to 3-0-0 against the Panthers this season, and the Sabres went 3-1-0 in the season series. Buffalo sits at 74 points and is 11 points ahead of Florida, ending the night in second place in the Atlantic Division.
Road trip finale details and next opponent
The Sabres conclude their road trip Saturday at 7 p. m. ET against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Pregame coverage starts at 6: 30 ET.
