Sabres Rally Past Panthers 5-3 as Noah Ostlund Scores Go Ahead Goal

Buffalo Pulls Away in Third Period as Both Teams Lose Key Players to Injury

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Florida Panthers 5-3 on Monday night, with Noah Ostlund scoring the go ahead goal on the power play early in the third period in a game that saw both teams lose key players to injuries.

Ostlund broke a 3-3 tie at 7:15 of the third period, tapping in a pass from Zach Benson through the crease to put Buffalo ahead for good. The Sabres added to their lead as they improved their power-play production, converting two of five opportunities after opening the season just 1-for-17 with the man advantage.

Buffalo also received goals from Tage Thompson, Josh Doan and Ryan McLeod, while captain Rasmus Dahlin scored his second goal of the season before leaving the game with an upper-body injury early in the second period. Sabres coach Lindy Ruff listed Dahlin as day to day but said the defenseman would not initially travel with the team for the start of its three game road trip in Montreal on Tuesday.

Goaltending Changes Shape the Game

Both teams made early changes in goal as injuries and defensive breakdowns forced adjustments. Florida starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom did not return after allowing two goals on 11 shots in the first period. Akira Schmid replaced him and finished with three goals allowed on 21 shots.

Buffalo also turned to its backup goalie early in the second period. Starter Colten Ellis allowed two goals on nine shots before being pulled 6:25 into the period. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen entered in relief and stopped all but one of the remaining shots he faced, allowing one goal on 14 shots to earn the victory. The goaltending changes came during a back-and-forth contest in which Buffalo never trailed, despite Florida repeatedly finding ways to get back into the game.

Reinhart Scores Twice for Florida

Sam Reinhart scored twice for the Panthers, while Anton Lundell added a goal as Florida attempted to overcome Buffalo’s lead. Reinhart tied the game at 2 early in the second period after poking a loose puck into the net. The puck had dribbled into the crease behind Ellis, prompting Ruff to make the goaltending change.

Reinhart struck again later, with Brady Tkachuk recording his first point with the Panthers by assisting on the goal. Florida managed to pull even at 3, setting the stage for Ostlund’s decisive power-play tally in the third period.

The Panthers converted two of four power-play opportunities, showing improvement after entering Monday’s game just 1-for-28 on the season. Despite their special-teams production, Florida could not find another equalizer after Ostlund put Buffalo ahead.

Panthers Look to Respond Against Columbus

The loss marked Florida’s second consecutive defeat following a 4-1 home-opening loss to Minnesota on Saturday. The Panthers fell to 2-2-2 as they continued working through an inconsistent start to the season. Florida will look to get back on track Tuesday night when it travels to face the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Buffalo, meanwhile, will take its momentum into Montreal after closing its five-game homestand with a victory. The Sabres will face the Canadiens on Tuesday night to begin their three-game road trip, with Dahlin’s status remaining a key storyline as the team awaits further information on its captain’s injury.