Another tap-in goal was too much for some fans to bear.
The booing began immediately after Patric Hornqvist took advantage of a Buffalo blunder that created a 3-on-1 odd-man rush for the Florida Panthers’ fourth goal of the second period, and the remainder of the game wasn’t less challenging for the Buffalo Sabres.
Reinhart is the same talented scorer and playmaker that he was for six seasons in Buffalo, albeit in a different role. But he’s finally on a deep team that’s considered a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
An immensely talented, deep Panthers lineup featuring Sam Reinhart used speed, precise passing and relentless defensive pressure to force the Sabres into mistakes that haven’t been common this season.
It was a master class in how to respond after a sluggish first period, as the Panthers peppered the Buffalo net with 20 shots during a second period that featured consecutive tap-in goals on their way to a 6-1 win at KeyBank Center.
"It seemed like every puck was going through and just didn’t do a good enough job staying on top of them," Sabres alternate captain Kyle Okposo said. "Obviously, they’ve got a ton of skill. ... We just couldn’t stop the breakdowns from happening."
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The Sabres (18-32-8) on Sunday could have scored five or more goals in three consecutive games for the first time since March 14-19, 2008. Now, they’ve scored one goal in their last two games and have been outscored 13-2 in their last five periods against Florida (38-13-5), which is first in the Atlantic Division with 81 standings points.
The Panthers lead the NHL in goals and shots per game, but the Sabres have performed well against other elite teams this season. Buffalo beat Toronto and Minnesota last week before a 3-0 home loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
Fatigue wasn’t a valid excuse, either, although this was the second game of a back-to-back. The Sabres outshot the Panthers 12-3 in the first period and went 0-for-2 on the power play. Their best scoring opportunity occurred on a 3-on-2 when Okposo rifled a shot over the net.
Buffalo’s other chances were from the perimeter, as rookie goalie Spencer Knight steered away one-timers from Tage Thompson. When a Sabres forward found space, the Panthers quickly converged and created a turnover. Knight made a few spectacular stops, including one on Peyton Krebs in the third period, and finished with 29 saves. But Buffalo also missed the net 14 times and Thompson hit the post in the third period.
"To me, there were lots of simple stuff offensively or transition wise that we didn’t execute, and it really showed with our inability to convert when we had really good chances to convert," coach Don Granato said. "It adds up. ... That team doesn’t stop."
Florida didn’t have a shot on goal until 5:22 into the game, when former Sabres defenseman Brandon Montour one-timed a centering pass from Aleksander Barkov for a 1-0 lead. The Sabres seemed to have some momentum at the end of the first period, but it didn’t last long.
Noel Acciari skated down the left wing and around Rasmus Dahlin before shooting the puck off the far post and in to make it 2-0 5:54 into the second period. Then, Anthony Duclair scored on the power play on a coverage mistake that left him open to receive a cross-ice pass from Barkov. Florida’s lead moved to 4-0 with a tap-in from Carter Verhaeghe as Mason Marchment sent a pass through Buffalo’s coverage to create the clear look at goalie Craig Anderson.
"We'd like to be harder to play against in our own end," Sabres defenseman Mark Pysyk admitted.
Hornqvist moved the lead to 5-0 by finishing the odd-man rush that was created by three Sabres converging on the puck at the blue line. The Panthers scored four times in a span of 6:48, and Barkov added another power-play goal in the third. Buffalo had 17 shots on goal over the final 40 minutes, and the goal-less streak ended at 114:48 when John Hayden tipped a Rasmus Asplund shot in the third period.
The game illustrated the gap between the Sabres and the elite teams in their division. More experience and talent are needed. Okposo revealed after the game that Buffalo players have met recently to discuss, "How we want to play and what we’re trying to create here." While Okposo instructed his teammates to take advantage of the off day Wednesday, he and Granato don't want this game to be forgotten.
"You go through this, you need to get better from it," Granato said.
Here are more observations from the game Monday:
1. Lineup changes
Granato shuffled his lines after the 3-0 loss Sunday, placing Victor Olofsson with Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt, and Peyton Krebs with Okposo and Vinnie Hinostroza. The two lines combined for nine shots on goal, three of which were by Mittelstadt.
Nineteen years since he first appeared in an NHL game with the Chicago Blackhawks, Anderson is on the cusp of becoming the sixth U.S.-born goalie to reach 300 wins.
2. Tough spot
This wasn’t on Anderson, who is one win away from 300 for his career. It was an uncharacteristically poor display of team defense by Buffalo, which typically doesn’t allow odd-man rushes. The penalty kill was porous.
"We left Andy out to dry a little bit there," Okposo said.
3. Welcome backs
Reinhart didn’t have much to say ahead of his first game in Buffalo since the July trade that sent him to the Panthers. His answers were short, aside from an admission that joining a new team was difficult early this season. Reinhart, 26, had to learn a new system and he played on different lines in the opening weeks. But he’s carved out a prominent role, totaling 18 goals and 53 points in 53 games. He got the secondary assist on Duclair’s goal in the second period.
The Sabres played a brief welcome back video for Reinhart, Montour and Jonas Johansson.
“It didn't come easy right away, you know, kind of had to learn how to play that system and get comfortable in that environment,” Reinhart said. “I think once I did that, it's been a lot of fun to play in with this group of guys.”
Alex Iafallo couldn’t walk far in LECOM Harborcenter on Saturday without encountering familiar faces from his childhood in Western New York.
4. Close call
The collision that knocked Alex Tuch out of the final 8:55 of the Sabres’ loss Sunday did not force him to miss a game. Tests showed that Tuch didn’t suffer a concussion on the collision into the left goal post and scans revealed no structural damage. He participated in an optional morning skate Tuesday and took his place on Buffalo’s top line. With Tuch in, Anders Bjork and Mark Jankowski were scratched.
“I love to put on that sweater, so it would take a little bit more to take me out of the game tonight, I think,” Tuch beamed.
5. Next
Former Sabres captain Jack Eichel returns to Buffalo with the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday to face the Sabres in KeyBank Center.
