RECAP: Panthers 3, Sabres 2 (OT)

SUNRISE, Fla. – The good times are only just beginning at Amerant Bank Arena.

Locking up home-ice advantage for the Florida Panthers in Round 1 of the playoffs, Sam Reinhart lit the lamp 3:58 into overtime of a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

With one game left in their season, the Panthers (51-24-6, 108 points) have also moved past the Boston Bruins (46-18-15, 107 points) to claim first place in the Atlantic Division.

Playing in two fewer games than Florida, the Bruins visit the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight.

“It’s huge,” Reinhart said. “That was the task at hand today, and we got it done. We’re excited about the challenge ahead. It’s starting for real pretty soon. You do what you can to get home-ice advantage. That’s the beauty of the playoffs, it’s a battle from Game 1.”

Opening the scoring for the Sabres, Tyson Josh tipped a point shot from Rasmus Dahlin past Sergei Bobrovsky to make it 1-0 at 2:59. Answering for the Panthers, Anton Lundell beat Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen with a nifty backhand from the slot to make it 1-1 at 5:02.

Heating up, Lundell has scored in four of his last six games.

“You’re always happy if your line is able to help the team win,” Lundell said.

Netting his second shorthanded goal of the campaign, Kevin Stenlund briefly put the Panthers on top when he poked the puck free at the blue line, flew up the ice and went backhand-to-forehand on a breakaway before lighting the lamp to make it 2-0 at 8:11.

On that same power play, Jack Quinn eventually cashed in for Buffalo to make it 2-2 at 9:48.

After taking just four shifts in the first period, Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson headed to the dressing room and did not return. After the game, head coach Paul Maurice said the injury is thankfully considered “minor,” but could keep him out until the playoffs.

“We fully expect him to be ready,” Maurice said confidently. “He probably could’ve got through the game, but there didn’t seem to be much value in that. He just tightened up.”

In the second period, Bobrovsky brought fans to their feet when he laid out and robbed Jeff Skinner on a breakaway with a toe save just before the five-minute mark. Soon after, Sam Bennett lent Bobrovsky a literal hand when he gloved away a puck sitting on the goal line.

“I was kind of looking back and saw Sam lying down there just taking the puck out of the net,” said Bobrovsky, cracking a big smile. “That was a key moment. I think it’s the goalie’s happiest moment when you see that it’s out of the net.”

Appearing in his 700^th game in the NHL, Bobrovsky, as usual, was lights out between the pipes again for the Panthers. Earning his 36^th win of the season – tied for the second most in the NHL – the 35-year-old veteran netminder stopped 27 of 29 shots against the Sabres.  

“That’s a huge accomplishment,” Reinhart said of Bobrovsky, who should be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. “Just what he puts into his body of work -- day in, day out. It seems like he’s got a lot left in the tank, too. We’ve got all the confidence in the world in him.”

Nearly losing another player to injury, Nick Cousins briefly went to the locker room after receiving a headshot from Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton at 6:04. Kicked out of the game, Clifton received a match penalty, while the Panthers got a five-minute power play.

In the third period, the Panthers led 19-7 in shot attempts and 8-1 in scoring chances, but couldn’t sneak a third goal past Luukkonen. That being said, the dominant style in which they played the final 20 minutes was certainly encouraging with the playoffs coming up.

“We’re right,” Maurice said. “The minds are right.”

Adding yet another clip to his campaign for a second Selke Trophy, captain Aleksander Barkov set the stage for the game-winning goal in overtime when he swiped the puck away in the offensive zone from Sabres forward Dylan Cozens and shipped it over to Reinhart.

Netting his 55^th goal of the season, he buried a far-side shot from the slot for the 3-2 win.

Who’s ready for the playoffs?

“What’s left is the juice,” Maurice said of the road ahead. “It’s coming. Everybody feels it. The difference between this group and last year is these guys are a little bit more serious, a little bit more focused. They know what they’ve been through. They know what’s coming.”

THEY SAID IT

“Game 1, home or on the road, it’s going to be a battle. [Home-ice advantage] doesn’t really guarantee anything, but that’s what you play for. We’re excited about the opportunity.” – Sam Reinhart

“We obviously played for the win. We’re building up for the playoffs. It’s a good win for us.” – Sergei Bobrovsky

“It was a funny game. We had lots of possession time and chances until we overplayed our chances and didn’t get pucks to the net. Then it gets tilted a little bit.” – Paul Maurice

CATS STATS

- The Panthers have clinched home-ice for the seventh time in franchise history.

- Sam Reinhart’s 55 goals are just four behind Pavel Bure’s franchise record of 59.

- The Panthers have surrendered just five goals over their last five games.

- Aleksander Barkov has cracked the scoresheet in nine of his last 10 games.

- Brandon Montour recorded a team-high three hits.

- Gustav Forsling saw a team-high 28:43 of ice time.

- The Panthers led 19-3 in 5-on-5 shot attempts when Uvis Balinskis was deployed.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Just one more game to go until things get real.

Wrapping up their regular-season slate, the Panthers will host the Maple Leafs in a potential playoff preview at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

For tickets, click HERE.