Game 59

Buffalo Sabres (28-23-7) vs. Florida Panthers (22-28-8)

Puck Drop: 7:00 PM | BB&T Center | Sunrise, FL

TV: MSG-B

Radio: WGR 550

SB Nation Panthers Blog: Litterbox Cats

Know Your Opponent

Florida Panthers

Record: (25-24-8) | 58 points

Last 10: 4-5-1

Division Ranking: 6th in the Atlantic Division

Conference Ranking: 12th in the Eastern Conference

PP: 3rd (25.4%)

PK: 8th (81.9 %)

What to Watch

1. Slipping out of the race

Losses to the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils have really put a damper on the Sabres playoff hopes. They enter tonight six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final playoff spot.

2. Nelson Back?

We’ll see if Casey Nelson gets back in the lineup tonight. This morning on WGR550 Phil Housley said Zach Bogosian and Rasmus Ristolainen were game-time decisions.

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Jeff Skinner – Jack Eichel – Jason Pominville

Conor Sheary – Casey Mittelstadt – Sam Reinhart

C.J. Smith – Evan Rodrigues – Tage Thompson

Vladimir Sobotka – Johan Larsson – Zemgus Girgensons

Defense

Lawrence Pilut – Rasmus Ristolainen

Rasmus Dahlin – Matt Hunwick

Jake McCabe – Zach Bogosian

Starting Goaltender: Linus Ullmark (unconfirmed)

Florida Panthers

Forwards

Jonathan Huberdeau – Aleksander Barkov – Frank Vatrano

Mike Hoffman – Vincent Trocheck – Evgenii Dadonov

Derrick Brassard – Henrik Borgstrom – Denis Malgin

Jayce Hawryluk – Riley Sheahan – Troy Brouwer

Defense

Michael Matheson – Aaron Ekblad

Keith Yandle – Mark Pysyk

Ian McCoshen – Josh Brown

Starting Goaltender: James Reimer