Malenstyn's Late Goal Lifts Sabres Past Panthers

Buffalo wins third straight on the road, continues hot streak since December

Mar. 3, 2026 at 6:15am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Friday night, with Beck Malenstyn scoring the game-winning goal in the third period. Goaltender Alex Lyon made 27 saves for the Sabres, who have now won nine straight road games. The win was Buffalo's third in a row on their current road trip, and they continue their impressive run since December 8th, going 23-5-2 over that stretch.

Why it matters

The Sabres' strong play of late has them firmly in the playoff picture in the Atlantic Division, sitting just four points behind the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning. This win over the Panthers, another top team in the division, shows that Buffalo is a legitimate contender this season after years of struggles.

The details

Malenstyn's goal came at the 11:38 mark of the third period, with the Sabres leading 1-1 at the time. The goal came after a shot from the point, with Malenstyn crashing the net to bury the rebound. Florida coach Paul Maurice challenged the goal, but the call was upheld. Buffalo then killed off a late power play to preserve the victory. Alex Tuch had given the Sabres an early lead with a power play goal in the first period.

  • The Sabres scored the game-winning goal at the 11:38 mark of the third period.
  • Buffalo has now won nine straight road games, closing in on the NHL record of 11 held by Evgeni Nabokov and Devan Dubnyk.

The players

Alex Lyon

The Sabres' goaltender made 27 saves and was named the game's second star.

Beck Malenstyn

Scored the game-winning goal for the Sabres in the third period.

Tage Thompson

Recorded an assist on the Sabres' empty-net goal, extending his point streak to six games.

Nikita Kucherov

The Lightning forward is the NHL's second-leading scorer with 95 points in 53 games this season.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The Lightning goaltender has been on a tear, going 17-0-1 in his last 18 games.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This team is so much different from what we've seen for the past 14 years. A 1-1 hockey game in the third period doesn't bother them. They play with confidence, not the panic we were so used to seeing in the past.”

— Paul Hamilton, Sabres Reporter

What’s next

The Sabres will look to continue their hot streak on Saturday when they take on the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning, who are also one of the NHL's hottest teams since December 8th.

The takeaway

The Sabres' impressive run of play since December has them firmly in the playoff picture in the Atlantic Division, and this win over a fellow top team in the Panthers shows that Buffalo is a legitimate contender this season after years of struggles.