Net minder Roberto Luongo would get a break for tonight as backup James Reimer would fill in for the 38-year-old. For the struggling Sabres, they would rely on Robin Lehner to get the job done, as they looked to go for their third straight victory.
The Panthers started the game off with a sense of urgency, knowing that no matter how bad the Sabres were this season, two points were on the line in a difficult playoff push. Florida were dominating play, pinning the Sabres in their own zone for quite some time.