The Buffalo Sabres travel to Amerant Bank Arena to face the Florida Panthers on February 27, 2026, in a crucial Eastern Conference matchup. Both teams returned from the Olympic break with wins and are fighting for strong playoff positioning. Buffalo enters the game in excellent form, especially on the road, where they have collected points consistently in recent weeks. Florida, the defending Stanley Cup champions, are trying to close the gap in the playoff race and showed their attacking strength in a convincing win in their last outing. With Buffalo’s high-scoring offense going up against Florida’s inconsistent defense and both teams playing with urgency, this game is expected to be competitive and tactically intense.
Match Information
| Match | Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers |
|---|---|
| Date | February 27, 2026 |
| Time | 7:00 PM ET |
| Venue | Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, Florida |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Moneyline | Panthers -115 / Sabres -104 to +100 |
| Puck Line | Panthers -1.5 / Sabres +1.5 |
| Total | 6.5 Goals |
Team Performance & Season Overview
Buffalo has been one of the stronger offensive teams this season, ranking inside the top 10 in goals scored. They also hold a positive goal differential and have been particularly effective away from home, collecting wins in six of their last seven road games.
Florida, meanwhile, has struggled defensively at times, allowing more than three goals per game this season. However, their power play remains productive, and their top-line scoring continues to keep them competitive.
| Category | Sabres | Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 33–19–6 | 30–25–3 |
| Goals For/Game | 3.3 | 3.0 |
| Goals Against/Game | 3.0 | 3.3 |
| Goal Differential | +17 | -16 |
| Power Play | 19.7% | 19.2% |
The teams combine for around 6.4 goals per game, very close to the listed total.
Recent Form & Trends
Buffalo enters the game on a strong run, winning seven of their last 10 games and showing solid defensive structure in their recent victory. Their road form has been one of the best in the conference since the Christmas break.
Florida snapped a difficult stretch with a dominant 5–1 win in their last game. Before that, the Panthers had lost several games where defensive discipline was an issue. Their ability to build on that momentum will be key.
Recent trends show:
- Buffalo is 6–1 in their last seven road games
- Florida has scored three or more goals in four of their last five home games
- The total has gone Under in six of Buffalo’s last seven road games at Florida
s report, was listed in the final projected skate lines in the fourth-line center spot for this specific game.
Panthers vs. Sabres Projected Lineup
Buffalo Sabres Projected Lineup
| Line | Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| Line 1 | Peyton Krebs | Tage Thompson | Alex Tuch |
| Line 2 | Jason Zucker | Ryan McLeod | Jack Quinn |
| Line 3 | Noah Ostlund | Josh Norris | Josh Doan |
| Line 4 | Josh Dunne | Tyson Kozak | Beck Malenstyn |
| Pairing | Left Defense | Right Defense |
| Pair 1 | Mattias Samuelsson | Rasmus Dahlin |
| Pair 2 | Zach Metsa | Michael Kesselring |
| Pair 3 | Bowen Byram | Owen Power |
- Starting Goalie: Alex Lyon (Confirmed)
- Backup: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Florida Panthers Projected Lineup
| Line | Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
| Line 1 | Carter Verhaeghe | Evan Rodrigues | Sam Reinhart |
| Line 2 | Mackie Samoskevich | Sam Bennett | Matthew Tkachuk |
| Line 3 | Eetu Luostarinen | Anton Lundell | Brad Marchand |
| Line 4 | A.J. Greer | Cole Schwindt | Sandis Vilmanis |
| Pairing | Left Defense | Right Defense |
| Pair 1 | Gustav Forsling | Aaron Ekblad |
| Pair 2 | Niko Mikkola | Uvis Balinskis |
| Pair 3 | Donovan Sebrango | Jeff Petry |
- Starting Goalie: Daniil Tarasov (Projected)
- Backup: Sergei Bobrovsky
Also see: Golden Knights vs Capitals Prediction: Lineup, Last Games, Injury Report
Head-to-Head Record
| H2H Insight | Data |
|---|---|
| Last 10 Meetings | Panthers 7 wins, Sabres 3 |
| 2025–26 Season Meetings | Sabres lead series 2–1 |
| Avg Goals (H2H) | Panthers 3.1, Sabres 2.4 |
| Home Trend | Florida strong historically at home |
Buffalo won the most recent meeting 5–3 earlier this month.
Key Players to Watch
Buffalo Sabres Leaders
| Player | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tage Thompson | 31 | 30 | 61 |
| Rasmus Dahlin | 11 | 37 | 48 |
| Alex Tuch | 21 | 26 | 47 |
| Ryan McLeod | 11 | 30 | 41 |
| Josh Doan | 19 | 20 | 39 |
Thompson enters the game on a five-game point streak and remains the main offensive threat.
Florida Panthers Leaders
| Player | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Reinhart | 27 | 29 | 56 |
| Brad Marchand | 27 | 25 | 52 |
| Sam Bennett | 19 | 24 | 43 |
| Carter Verhaeghe | 17 | 26 | 43 |
| Anton Lundell | 16 | 26 | 42 |
Marchand recently returned and immediately made an impact with a multi-goal performance.
Goaltending Outlook
Buffalo is expected to rely on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who delivered a strong performance in the last game with a save percentage above 96%.
Florida will likely start Sergei Bobrovsky, who also looked sharp recently but has had inconsistent numbers over the course of the season.
Injury Report
Buffalo Sabres
- Conor Timmins – IR
- Jordan Greenway – IR
- Justin Danforth – IR
- Jiri Kulich – IR
- Zach Benson – IR
Florida Panthers
- Aleksander Barkov – IR (knee)
- Dmitry Kulikov – IR
- Seth Jones – IR
- Tomas Nosek – IR
- Jonah Gadjovich – IR
- Cole Schwindt – Day-to-day
Florida enters with a heavier injury list, including key center Barkov.
Player Props to Watch
| Player Prop | Insight |
|---|---|
| Tage Thompson Anytime Point | On a five-game streak |
| Sam Reinhart Anytime Goal | Team’s top scorer |
| Alex Tuch Over 0.5 Points | Strong recent production |
| Anton Lundell Over 0.5 Points | Three-game point streak |
Betting Insights
- Buffalo offense ranks 7th in goals scored
- Florida defense ranks 25th in goals allowed
- Sabres are strong on the road
- Panthers historically perform better at home
- Total trends lean slightly toward the Under in this matchup
Best Picks for Panthers vs Sabres
| Market | Pick |
|---|---|
| Moneyline | Sabres (+100 value) |
| Puck Line | Panthers +1.5 |
| Total | Under 6.5 |
| Player Prop | Thompson Anytime Point |
| Team Angle | Panthers Over 2.5 Team Goals (alternate lean) |
Match Prediction
Buffalo’s strong road form and offensive consistency give them a slight edge, but Florida’s home scoring ability should keep the game close. With both teams showing urgency in the playoff race, expect a competitive and disciplined matchup.
Predicted Score: Sabres 3 – Panthers 2
This game sets up as a tight Eastern Conference battle where Buffalo’s road momentum and offensive depth could make the difference. Florida has the talent to respond at home, but injuries and defensive inconsistency remain concerns. The safest angles are Sabres value on the moneyline and a lean toward the Under in what should be a controlled, playoff-style game.
