RECAP: Sabres 5, Panthers 3

SUNRISE, Fla. – Letting key points get away, the Florida Panthers saw their losing streak reach four games with a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday.

Despite taking an early 2-0 lead and finishing with 45-20 edge in scoring chances, the Panthers, who lost yet another key player to injury in the game, couldn’t power through.

With two games left before the break, Florida sits at 28-24-3.

“They’re playing together,” head coach Paul Maurice said of his players dealing with the team’s current adversity. “The bench is good. They’re pulling for each other. They’re trying to do the right things. They’re battling as hard as they can. There’s nothing more I can ask of them.”

Netting the second goal of his career, Sandis Vilmanis put the Panthers up 1-0 just 37 seconds into the first period when he pounced on a loose puck in the left circle and sent a laser of a shot over Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon’s glove and into the corner of the net.

With four points (2G, 2A) in his first 12 NHL games, the rookie continues to impress.

“It’s world-class players out there,” said Vilmanis, who only just turned 22 on Jan. 23. “Just playing against them, just look how they’re playing, try to take advice from them. That’s the best feeling ever, that’ you’re here with them and you can learn a lot.”

Doubling the lead for the Panthers later in the first period, Evan Rodrigues took a slick touch pass from Sam Reinhart and ripped a shot from the bottom of the left circle that ricochetted off a Sabres skater before sneaking through Lyon’s pads to make it 2-0 at 5:54.

Entering tonight’s matchup with a team-leading 28 goals, Tage Thompson cut Buffalo’s deficit in half when he beat Sergei Bobrovsky with a wicked snipe to make it 2-1 at 15:03. Later, Peyton Krebs scored on a 2-on-1 rush for the Sabres to bring the score to 2-2 at 18:26.

Adding yet another body to the mountain of injured players for the Panthers, Sam Bennett sustained an upper-body injury during the first period and did not return to the game.

Prior to losing Bennett, the injury-plagued Panthers were already trudging ahead without captain Aleksander Barkov, forwards Anton Lundell, Brad Marchand, Jonah Gadjovich and Tomas Nosek, and defensemen Seth Jones and Dmitry Kulikov.

“We’ll get a better handle on it tomorrow,” Maurice said of Bennett’s injury.

After killing off a power play, the Sabres took the lead in the second period when an outlet pass clipped an official, which turned a likely icing into a breakaway. After luring Bobrovsky out of his net, Zach Benson set up Ryan McLeod for a goal to make it 3-2 at 5:44.

Cashing in on a trip to the man advantage, the Panthers evened the score when Uvis Balinskis, who’s stepped up on the power play in the absence of Seth Jones, teed up a pass from Reinhart and blasted a shot past Lyon from the right circle to make it 3-3 at 18:59.

With Vilmanis and Balinskis both lighting the lamp, the Panthers made history as it marked the first time two Latvian-born players scored for the same team in the same game in the NHL.

Sending the Sabres ahead on the power play after a questionable hook on Cole Schwindt, Jason Zucker beat Bobrovsky with a one-timer from the left circle to make it 4-3 at 5:31.

Presented with a golden opportunity to pull even, the Panthers came away empty handed on an extended 5-on-3 power play. With 2:06 remaining in regulation, Josh Doan deposited a feed from Krebs on a 2-on-1 rush to lock in the 5-3 win for Buffalo.

Chasing a third straight Stanley Cup, the Panthers know they need to turn a corner soon.

“I think we’ve just got to get back to the basics,” forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “We’ve got to try and win a 1-0 or 2-1 game here. Just try to go from there. We’re in one right now. If we don’t simplify it, this year is going to get away from us.”

THEY SAID IT

“He’s not a single-style player where he has to play with a certain kind of player. He looks like he could play with some guys and be a good player. He’s a good one.” – Paul Maurice on Sandis Vilmanis

“It’s not fatigue. We seem to be pressing in the third [period], but we’re always chasing. Physically, we’re not getting tired. Mentally, when you’re trailing and then you have a lead and give it up … That’s mentally and emotionally draining. Guys have been through a crazy year with guys in and out.” – Matthew Tkachuk on the Panthers struggling to close out games

“We are just trying to work as hard as possible, trying to make simple plays and just put it on the net. The last couple of games it’s been working, so we’re just trying to grow that chemistry and grow our game.” – Sandis Vilmanis on playing with Cole Schwidnt

CATS STATS

- Sandis Vilmanis has recorded a point in three of his last four games.

- Sam Reinhart has notched multiple points in two of his last three games.

- Evan Rodrigues won a team-high 13 faceoffs.

- The Panthers led 81-49 in shot attempts.

- Aaron Ekblad logged a team-high four hits.

WHAT’S NEXT?

No room for error now.

In need of points before breaking for the Olympics, the Panthers will kick off a back-to-back with a battle against the Boston Bruins at Amerant Bank Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

For tickets, click HERE.