Oct 18, 2025; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) looks to make a save during the first period against the Florida Panthers at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Shots: BUF 31 | FLA 32
Buffalo Sabres Goals:
- Doan (Thompson, Dahlin) (PP)
- Doan (Zucker, Benson) (PP)
- Power (Tuch, Krebs)
Florida Panthers Goals:
Better luck next time!
Plus 1: Special Teams Working
Buffalo’s powerplay has been a point of contention for years. It has consistently underperformed and cost the team significant regular season points. Today the script was flipped, and it was the engine behind the Sabres victory. They were able to maintain possession with ease, move the puck around the zone with precision, and cash in with a couple of redirects from Josh Doan. As important as the powerplay was in building the lead, the penalty kill was indispensable in defending it. Buffalo took far too many penalties in this one, but their killers were up to the task. The Panthers’ powerplay finished with an eye-opening 0 for 7 afternoon. Even without Barkov, their powerplay can be lethal. This game is a great example of how special teams play can tip the scales in your favor.
Plus 2: Benson is a Stud
The return of Zach Benson has completely changed the Sabres forward group. Regardless of who he has playing with or is matched up against, he makes a positive impact on the ice. Defensively, he’s developing into a Make Stone style puck shark. On the forecheck, he’s consistently winning one-on-one battles and holds his own against multiple defenders. His vision elevates his linemates and generates a significant amount of offense. With his assist on Doan’s second goal, he joined elite Sabres company. Benson’s 5 assists in his first two games puts him with Pat LaFontaine as the only Sabres players to put up 5 or more assists in their first two games. He’s proven to be a catalyst for the offense and primed for a breakout season.
Plus 3: Full Team Shutout
Alex Lyon continues to shine as the Sabres starter. He was excellent again against his former team and made some key saves on point-blank chances. He also benefited from a very good defensive performance by Buffalo. The defensemen were aggressive in cutting off plays in the neutral zone, forwards were backchecking to stifle the Panthers rush offense, and the net-front was largely cleared out. The entre team bought in and supported each other defensively. Florida’s attackers found their time and space severely limited and many of their attempted passes picked off. The third period was a masterclass of suffocating any potential comeback. If Buffalo can replicate this performance regularly, they will be a tough team to beat.
Final Thoughts
This was an excellent win by Buffalo. They were able to limit the Panthers to only a handful of dangerous scoring chances and took advantage of their opportunities even with Bobrovsky bringing his “A” game. Buffalo didn’t back down when Florida attempted their usually shtick of blurring the lines between gritty hockey and dirty play. This game will largely be remembered as the game Marchand mutilated Dahlin’s helmet, forcing Dahlin to use Krebs’ helmet to start a powerplay. Something else of note is how active the defensemen were offensively in this one. Power’s goal was a perfect example of how they can take advantage of the offensive talent on Buffalo’s backend. Even Samuelsson snuck into the slot for a scoring chance shortly after Power scored. This was a great team win that will hopefully serve as a foreshadowing of what we can expect from this team on a nightly basis.
