Sabres aim to end skid against Panthers

PANTHERS (19-23-7) at SABRES (13-27-7)

TV: FS-F, MSG-B, BELL TV

Last 10: Florida 5-3-2; Buffalo 3-3-4

Season series: This is the third of four games between the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres won 3-1 in Sunrise, Fla., on Oct. 25 and the Panthers earned a 2-1 shootout win in Buffalo on Jan. 9. Jhonas Enroth started each game for the Sabres, allowing two goals on 80 shots.

Big story: The Sabres hope to avoid losing four straight games for the first time since November. They have also lost three in a row at First Niagara Center since a five-game home winning streak. The Panthers look for back-to-back wins for the first time since Dec. 17 and 19.

Team Scope:

Panthers: Florida beat the Eastern Conference-leading Penguins 5-1 in Pittsburgh on Monday. Drew Shore, who had one goal in 11 games this season, had two, and Scott Clemmensen, making his first start in nine games, made 35 saves. Florida earned its ninth road win of the season and handed the Penguins their first loss at Consol Energy Center since Nov. 13, a span of 13 games.

"The harder you work, the luckier you get. It doesn't always go your way, but you stick with it and nights like tonight happen," said Clemmensen, who also picked up an assist. "But we have to move on. We have a game [Tuesday]."

Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and assisted on the eventual game-winner in the second period.

"We know we can beat the best teams in the League and that's what we're doing ... we just have to keep going on a little streak to get back into playoff position," Huberdeau said. "We gotta go out [to Buffalo] -- it's back-to-back -- there's no excuses and we gotta go out there and play a hard game and get the two points."

Sabres: Buffalo has lost three games in a row -- all by one goal -- with the past two occurring in the shootout. The Sabres have been involved in one-goal games in each of their past six games, and have a 2-1-3 record.

"We are going to have to play extremely hard again," Steve Ott said Monday after practice. "Tim Thomas has been playing great. He's a good old goaltender, and we're gonna have to try and find a way to sneak some by him."

Linus Omark, who has been a healthy scratch the past two games, could be in the lineup Tuesday. He practiced on the second line with Cody Hodgson and Steve Ott. In nine games this season, he has one assist.

"It's an opportunity if I am going to play with those guys," Omark said. "I know [the goals are] going to come if I keep going. I've had some good chances, too. If you play good, it's going to come sooner or later."

Who's hot: Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov has goals in back-to-back games. Jesse Winchester, who returned to the lineup Monday after missing five weeks with a broken hand, had three assists. ... Sabres wing Tyler Ennis has a four-game point streak (two goals, three assists). Defenseman Tyler Myers has three goals -- half of his season total -- in the past four games.

Injury report: Panthers defensemen Dylan Olsen (lower body) and Alex Petrovic (upper body) are on injured reserve. ... Sabres forwards Cody McCormick (upper body) and Kevin Porter (lower body) and defenseman Henrik Tallinder (upper body) are on IR. Marcus Foligno did not play Saturday (upper body).