NHL Game Preview: Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers with Line Combinations 3/8/2025

Florida Panthers (6-3-1, 13 Pts) at Buffalo Sabres (4-4-1, 9 Pts)

Venue: Amerant Bank Arena
Date: Monday, October 28
Time: 6:00 pm EST
TV: ESPN+/MSG-B/SCRIPPS
Radio:
Buffalo: WGR 550 Sports Radio
Florida: 560 WQAM

DraftKings Sportsbook Betting Lines:

Buffalo: +1.5 ML +210
Florida: -1.5 ML -258
O/U 6.5

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Buffalo Sabres News & Notes:

The Sabres have dropped five straight most recently a 6-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. In this skid they are averaging 2.80 goals per game and have allowed five goals per game. JJ Peterka is on a seven-game point streak recording four goals and six assists.

Florida Panthers News & Notes:

The Panthers have won five straight games most recently defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0 on Thursday. During their win streak they are averaging 3.20 goals per game while allowing one goal per game. Aleksander Barkov has five points in his last two games on three goals and two assists. Aaron Ekblad is also on a five game point streak with six assists in that span.

Buffalo Sabres Projected Lines:

Peterka-McLeod-Thompson-
Greenway-Norris-Tuch
Benson-Krebs-Quinn
Malenstyn-Lafferty-Rosen

Samuelsson-Dahlin
Byram-Power
Bryson-Clifton

Luukkonen
Reimer

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Buffalo Hockey – Inside The Rink

Florida Panthers Projected Lines:

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart
Samoskevich-Bennett-Rodrigues
Luostarinen-Lundell-J.Boqvist
Greer-Sturm-Nosek

Forsling-Ekblad
Mikkola-Jones
Schmidt-Kulikov

Bobrovsky
Vanecek

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Florida Hockey – Inside The Rink

Players To Watch:

Buffalo Sabres

Tage Thompson this season has 54 points 31 goals and 23 assists. He’s faced the Panthers 18 times in his career recording 11 points on five goals and six assists; between two meetings this season he has a goal and an assist.

Florida Panthers

Sam Bennett this season has 40 points on 19 goals and 21 assists. He’s faced the Sabres 19 times in his career recording nine points on six goals and three assists; between two meetings this season he has two goals and an assist.

Injury Report:

Buffalo Sabres:

LW Jason Zucker – DTD
C Jiri Kulich – DTD

Florida Panthers:

LW Matthew Tkachuk – IR
LW Brad Marchand – Out

Next Game:

Buffalo: March 10 vs. Edmonton Oilers
Florida: March 11 at Boston Bruins

ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing – Inside The Rink

Join Conrad and Chris as the discuss Gavin McKenna making the jump to the NCAA, Pittsburgh and San Jose making additions, and the NHL season to begin on October 7, 2025.

1. ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing 32:56
2. ITR 46: Offseason Chaos 24:53
3. ITR 45: Everything Is Happening 37:46
4. ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again 56:17
5. ITR 43: It's Winning Time 39:10