Florida extended their winning streak to a season-high four games. It was the beginning of a stretch where the Panthers playing four of their last five remaining regular season games at home.
Both teams entered the contest among the top five in goals scored in 2022-23. Both clubs combined for just three shots on goal in the first six minutes of the first period.
Buffalo(37-32-7) thought they rolled out to a 1-0 lead at the 3:42 mark of the opening frame. Jeff Skinner stole the puck on the end wall. He centered it and Alex Tuch snapped a shot from the top of the crease past Alex Lyon for his 36th goal of the season. The Panthers challenged it and Tuch was offside prior to entering the offensive zone.
The Sabres still scored on the power play at 8:58 of the first. It was just their second shot on goal. Rasmus Dahlin angled a pass from the top of the zone and Dylan Cozens placed in a snap shot from the top right circle for his 29th goal of the campaign. Tage Thompson chalked up the secondary assist on the tally.
Florida(40-31-7) tied it up 1-1 on the power play with 4:13 remaining in the period. Aleksander Barkov pushed the puck from the right wing to Brandon Montour on the right point. He sent a diagonal pass and Aaron Ekblad smacked a one-time slap shot from above the left circle by Devon Levi for his 13rd goal this year. Borh Montour and Barkov gathered their 52nd assists in 2022-23.
Barkov expanded his assist streak up to four contests. There was no scoring by either squad in the second frame.
The Panthers took a 2-1 lead 59 seconds into the third period. Anton Lundell cycled the puck from the right goal line to the right point. Montour released a slap shot and Matthew Tkachuk redirected it from the slot area for his 39th goal this season. Montour now has a four-game assist streak and four-game point streak. Tkachuk collected his 102nd point of the season, which is one point short of his career high that he set with the Calgary Flames in 2021-22.
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