Panthers score four straight in third, top Sabres

BUFFALO --Evgenii Dadonov had two goals and an assist, and the Florida Panthers rallied for a 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist, Troy Brouwer and Frank Vatrano scored and Roberto Luongo made 30 saves for Florida (13-13-6), which has won two in a row after a four-game losing streak (0-3-1). The Panthers have won seven straight against the Sabres.
"The Sabres top line of Jeff Skinner-Jack Eichel-Sam Reinhart] took it to us for a while, but we were able to maintain, [Luongo]*
Skinner had a goal and an assist, and Rasmus Ristolainen scored for Buffalo (20-10-5), which had a four-game point streak end (3-0-1). Carter Hutton made 31 saves.
"I thought we had a good start, but [we need] just a little more desperation in our game in the third," Skinner said. "I think you just sort of saw it coming as the game went along. [Luongo] made some big saves, and we're sort of looking for that bounce when I think we should've been going after it and trying to sort of create it for ourselves."
Skinner gave the Sabres a 1-0 lead at 3:48 of the first period. He received a pass from Eichel while cutting through the slot and sent a backhand over a sprawling Luongo.

The goal was his 25th of the season, surpassing his total from 2017-18. He is also tied for second in Buffalo history for fewest games (35) needed to reach that mark, behind Alexander Mogilny (34 games).
Brouwer tied it 1-1 at 9:17 of the second period. Jared McCann's shot on a 3-on-1 hit the end boards and bounced to Brouwer, who banked it in off Hutton.
Ristolainen put the Sabres ahead 2-1 at 11:08 when he skated down the right wing and scored short side.
Barkov scored 58 seconds into the third period to tie it 2-2 on the power play, redirecting Keith Yandle's point shot in front.

"We talk about it before every game, special teams can win you a hockey game," Vatrano said. "We knew we had a power play going into the third, and obviously it's great to get off to a start like that. I don't think we looked back ever after we scored that goal."
Dadonov made it 3-2 on a penalty shot that trickled through Hutton's pads at 3:30, and Vatrano capitalized on a rebound at the right post to extend the lead to 4-2 at 4:42.
"The first five minutes of the third period we were horrible, and that's where we lost the game," Ristolainen said.
Dadonov scored his second of the game into an empty net at 17:30 to make it 5-2.

They said it

"We've been in that situation so many times this year, one-goal games and trailing and coming back, letting a game fall again. … I think we're learning from our mistakes. If I had to say one thing, I think that we are getting more mature in those situations."-- Panthers coach Bob Boughner
"We played a lot of hockey in a short time. This is our fifth game in eight nights. At that point, you got to keep the game simple. I think we spent way too much energy in our own zone because of our decisions up ice."-- Sabres coach Phil Housley

Need to know

Buffalo had killed 20 straight penalties before Barkov's power-play goal. … Florida won its third game when trailing after two periods (3-6-2). … The Sabres lost for the first time in regulation when leading after two periods (9-1-2). … Sabres forward Jason Pominville left at 6:10 of the third period after a collision with Ristolainen. .. Reinhart extended his point streak to 11 games (five goals, 13 assists).

What's next

Panthers:At the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNO, FS-F, NHL.TV)
Sabres:At the Washington Capitals on Friday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS NBCSWA, NHL.TV)