Florida Panthers Start New Winning Streak, Beat Sabres in SO

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers started a new winning streak on Saturday thanks to a outstanding play in net from Vitek Vanecek.

Carter Verhaeghe and Jesse Puljujarvi each scored in the second, but Vanecek made 26 saves in a 3-2 shootout win.

Anton Lundell was the only player to score in the shootout, with Vanecek stopping all three offerings from the Sabres.

Florida has won three straight coming off a five-game losing streak.

With the win, the Panthers pulled into a virtual tie with the Lightning for second place in the Atlantic Division.

Tampa Bay, however, has played one fewer game and gets the Sabres on the second half of a back-to-back tomorrow night.

The Panthers trailed 1-0 going into the second, but Verhaeghe scored a nifty goal to tie it 5 minutes into the period.

Puljujarvi scored his first with the Panthers by somehow deflecting a fluttering point shot from Uvis Balinksis — playing in his 100th NHL game — while battling for position at the front of the net.

Buffalo tied the score with 7:41 remaining on a 5-on-3 with Mackie Samoskevich and A.J. Greer in the box.

The Panthers are off until playing host to the Rangers in the penultimate game of the regular season on Monday night.

SABRES @ PANTHERS

• The Panthers had their second annual team award ceremony before Saturday’s game. Sasha Barkov won the Fan Choice Award; Sergei Bobrovsky was given the Three Stars Award; and Jesper Boqvist won the Unsung Hero Award.
• With a goal and an assist Saturday, Verhaeghe got his 300th NHL point. All but 13 of those points came with the Panthers.
• The Panthers signed top prospect Jack Devine to his three-year entry-level contract on Saturday. The ELC kicks in next season; Devine will go right to AHL Charlotte and is able to play immediately.

HOW THEY SCORED

• Sabres 1, Panthers 0 (19:41 1st PP): Rasmus Dahlin and Jason Zucker get loose on a break and play a little give-and-go, Dahlin slamming it home past Vitek Vanecek.
• Panthers 1, Sabres 1 (5:00 2nd): Seth Jones’ point shot bounds off the end boards, Carter Verhaeghe retrieves it, then skates around the front of the net and buries a backhander.
• Panthers 2, Sabres 1  (14:47 2nd): Uvis Balinskis floats a point shot with Evan Rodrigues and Jesse Puljujarvi camped in front. Although Rodrigues tries to deflect the shot, Puljujarvi — with his back to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen — somehow, and inadvertently, gets a piece of his stick on the puck and knocks it through.
• Sabres 2, Panthers 2 (12:19 3rd PP): JJ Peterka scores on a 5-on-3 with a sharp wrister from the bottom of the right circle.
• Panthers 3, Sabres 2 (SO): Anton Lundell opens things up with a goal, and that’s where it stays.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Vitek Vanecek, Florida
• 2. Carter Verhaeghe, Florida
• 3. Uvis Balinskis, Florida

ON DECK: GAME No. 81

NEW YORK RANGERS at FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Monday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise 
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/FtM)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Last Season vs. Rangers — Regular Season: Panthers won 2-1; Eastern Conference Finals: Panthers won 4-2. 
• This Season (Panthers Lead 2-0) — At Florida: Panthers 5, Rangers 3 (Dec. 30); Monday. At MSG: Panthers 3, Rangers 1 (Oct. 24).
• All-time Regular Season Series: Rangers lead 61-36-8, 6 ties
• Postseason History: Rangers won 4-1 (1997, 1st round); Panthers won 4-2 (2024 ECF)
• Up Next for the Panthers — Regular Season Finale: Tuesday at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN/Local TV)