BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — A.J. Greer scored twice, including the decisive goal late in the third period, to lift the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night at KeyBank Center. The Panthers built a two-goal lead twice, but the Sabres answered each time. Sam Reinhart and Anton Lundell also scored for Florida. Carter Verhaeghe had three assists. Jacob Bryson, Zach Benson and Alex Tuch scored for Buffalo, which pulled its goaltender late before Tuch’s goal with 2:14 remaining. The Sabres could not complete the comeback. Florida improved to 24-21. Buffalo fell to 24-20. Attendance was 16,343.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — A.J. Greer scored twice, including the eventual game-winner late in the third period, and the Florida Panthers held off a final-minute push by the Buffalo Sabres to secure a 4-3 victory on Monday night at KeyBank Center. The Panthers, who led wire-to-wire after an early two-goal outburst, snapped a two-game skid and improved to 24-21. The Sabres, who had won three straight, fell to 24-20 in a tightly contested Eastern Conference matchup that saw the visitors capitalize on key opportunities. Florida established its lead quickly in a frenetic first period. Just 2:35 into the game, Sam Reinhart tipped a point shot from defenseman Uvis Balinskis past Buffalo goaltender Colten Ellis for his 24th goal of the season. Carter Verhaeghe picked up the secondary assist. The Panthers doubled their advantage at the 15:11 mark. After a sustained cycle in the offensive zone, Sam Bennett fed Greer in the slot, and the winger snapped a wrist shot past Ellis for his eighth of the year. Verhaeghe notched another helper on the play. Buffalo cut into the deficit before the period ended. Defenseman Jacob Bryson collected a loose puck at the point and fired a seeing-eye wrist shot through traffic at 10:19, beating Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky to make it 2-1. Ryan McLeod and Zach Metsa were credited with assists. The Sabres carried the momentum into the second period, outshooting Florida 15-9 and drawing even on a power-play goal. With the man advantage, Tage Thompson set up rookie Zach Benson for a one-timer from the right circle that beat Bobrovsky cleanly at 14:57, tying the game at 2. The period was also marked by physical play, culminating in a fight between Florida’s Donovan Sebrango and Buffalo’s Josh Dunne at 12:35. The deadlock persisted deep into the third period until Anton Lundell put the Panthers back in front. Following a chaotic sequence in front of the Buffalo net, Lundell pounced on a rebound and buried his 14th goal of the season at 13:07, with assists to Eetu Luostarinen and Gustav Forsling. Greer provided critical insurance just over four minutes later. On a sharp offensive-zone entry, Verhaeghe dished to Bennett, who immediately sent a cross-ice pass to a streaking Greer. The left wing made no mistake, roofing a shot over Ellis’s glove at 17:46 for his second of the night and ninth of the season. The goal restored Florida’s two-goal lead at 4-2. Buffalo refused to quit, pulling Ellis for an extra attacker with over two minutes remaining. The pressure paid off when Alex Tuch batted a bouncing puck out of mid-air and past Bobrovsky with just 2:14 left on the clock, making it a one-goal game. Bowen Byram and Rasmus Dahlin assisted on Tuch’s 15th goal. The Sabres continued to press with the empty net, but the Panthers’ defense and Bobrovsky, who made 32 saves, held firm over the final tense moments to seal the victory. Ellis stopped 38 of 42 shots in the loss. Verhaeghe finished with three assists for Florida, while Bennett added two helpers. Reinhart led all skaters with seven shots on goal. The game defied the pregame projections. National Statistical’s game simulator had projected a 5-2 Buffalo victory, and the Sabres were installed as a -1.5 favorite on the betting line. The total of seven goals went over the closing over/under line of 6.5. The announced attendance was 16,343. The Panthers continue their road trip Friday at Carolina, while the Sabres host the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. The two teams will meet again in Florida on Feb. 2.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Buffalo Sabres, riding a wave of recent success, will host the struggling Florida Panthers in an NHL matchup Monday night at KeyBank Center. The Sabres (23-19) enter on a high note after a decisive 5-2 road victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday. Forward Jason Zucker, a player to watch, was instrumental in that win, contributing a goal and an assist. Buffalo has won seven of its last 10 games, solidifying its position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Conversely, the Panthers (22-21) are looking to halt a skid, having lost three straight and four of their last five. They are coming off a 6-2 defeat in Montreal on Thursday where they were outplayed despite a two-goal effort from center Sam Bennett. Bennett, Florida’s key player to monitor, has been a bright spot with four goals and three assists in his last 10 contests. The head-to-head history favors the Sabres, who shut out the Panthers 3-0 in their last meeting on Oct. 18, 2025. Buffalo’s offense has found consistency, scoring four or more goals in six of its last 10 outings. The Panthers, meanwhile, have been plagued by defensive lapses, allowing four or more goals in six of their past 10 games, including the recent losses to Toronto and Montreal. This game opens a critical three-game road trip for Florida, which will also face Carolina and Washington later this week. For Buffalo, this contest begins a brief two-game homestand before a lengthy road stretch. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The Sabres will aim to extend their home-ice advantage, while the Panthers are desperate to rediscover the form that earned them wins over Colorado and Carolina last month.