Ruff, Sabres defeat Panthers for 1st win of season

BUFFALO -- The Buffalo Sabres got their first win of the season by defeating the Florida Panthers 5-2 at KeyBank Center on Saturday.

It was also Buffalo's first win under Lindy Ruff, who is in his second stint as coach of the team after being hired to replace Don Granato on April 22.

“I sensed the same type of urgency last game (a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday),” Ruff said. “You could get frustrated, you could deviate, but I thought our guys were pretty locked in to trying to play the right way, and, for the most part, I thought for 60 minutes we did. We got rewarded. I thought a couple goals, maybe, they wouldn't like going in. We still hit the net and they went in, and they hadn’t been going in.”

Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist, and Tage Thompson also scored for the Sabres (1-3-0). Devon Levi made 23 saves.

Sam Bennett and Nate Schmidt scored for the Panthers (1-2-0), who were without forwards Matthew Tkachuk (illness) and Aleksander Barkov (lower body).

“We've won a bunch of hockey games in the past without them in our lineup. You have to play a style of game that'll allow that to happen,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “And we're not at that. I mean, I think we were in our first two. We weren't tonight. We didn't play a game that you can kind of survive with some guys out of your lineup. But I think we can get better at it.”

Spencer Knight allowed four goals on 26 shots in his first start since Feb. 18, 2023. He entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program six days after his last appearance and did not play in the NHL last season, playing 45 games with Florida's American Hockey League affiliate in Charlotte.

“I felt fine. Obviously, I think not the way you want the game to go,” Knight said. “I think really that loss starts with me and ends with me. I really think the whole thing really is on me. I mean, I can't be making plays like that, but I think there are some good things to be done. But I think, realistically, you got to take ownership of the good and also the bad.”

Schmidt gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 9:01 of the first period, taking a pass from A.J. Greer as the trailer on a 4-on-3 rush and beating Levi blocker side from the high slot.

Jordan Greenway tied it 1-1 at 16:46. He picked up a bouncing puck in the crease and lifted a backhand over Knight's left pad near the right post.

Thompson scored 41 seconds later to give the Sabres a 2-1 lead. He took a pass from Tuch on the rush and beat Knight five-hole with a wrist shot from the right circle.

“You get one, you start to feel good, especially after a night where you feel like you could’ve had a few, goalie robs you or you just get a little unlucky,” Thompson said. “I think that’s where you just got to stick with it. ... That was kind of my focus tonight is to keep shooting pucks and going to the net, and stuff from there will open up. I think fortunately tonight it did.”

Henri Jokiharju made it 3-1 at 1:34 of the second period with a one-timer from the left point.

Mattias Samuelsson pushed the lead to 4-1 at 16:22. He settled a pass from Jason Zucker at the top of the left circle and scored past Knight, who was on his butt after scrambling to try and get back in position.

Bennett narrowed it to 4-2 at 18:42 when he redirected in a backdoor pass from Sam Reinhart on the power play.

Tuch scored an empty-net goal at 18:48 of the third period for the 5-2 final.

“We felt we’ve been playing well and we wanted to come out here and continue to do the same thing. Build off what we did last game and get a win,” Greenway said. “Guys were fired up before the game. Into the game, guys were talking on the bench. It’s a sign everyone’s into the game and has the same goal and we’re all playing as one.”

NOTES: Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling played in his 400th NHL game. ... Florida forward Patrick Giles played 7:34 in his NHL debut. ... The Sabres won for the second time in their past 12 games against the Panthers (2-9-1). ... Tuch extended his point streak to three games (two goals, two assists). ... Both teams played with a lineup of 11 forwards and seven defensemen.