Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers
NHL game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Florida Panthers on Feb 27, 2026. Final score: Buffalo Sabres 3, Florida Panthers 2.
| Status | Final |
|---|---|
| Date | Feb 27, 2026 |
| Venue | Amerant Bank Arena |
| Buffalo Sabres score | 3 |
| Florida Panthers score | 2 |
Shot charts, expected goals (xG), Game Score and advanced box scores for this game are available on Hockey Alchemy.
Three Stars by Game Score
Ranked by Game Score, which rolls goals, assists, shot quality, play-driving and penalties into one number — so the best player is chosen by the box score, not by a vote.
| Player | Pos | G | A | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Alex Tuch | R | 1 | 1 | 6 | 19:23 | 0.67 | 1.59 |
| 2nd | Sam Bennett | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21:19 | 0.22 | 1.39 |
| 3rd | Peyton Krebs | C | 1 | 0 | 2 | 14:37 | 0.78 | 0.90 |
Scoring Summary
| Time | Team | Goal | Assists | Strength | Score (Buffalo Sabres–Florida Panthers) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st 17:48 | BUF | Alex Tuch | Ryan McLeod, Bowen Byram | 4v5 | 1–0 |
| 2nd 13:51 | FLA | Matthew Tkachuk | Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett | 5v4 | 1–1 |
| 3rd 11:38 | BUF | Beck Malenstyn | Josh Norris, Noah Ostlund | 5v5 | 2–1 |
| 3rd 18:43 | BUF | Peyton Krebs | Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch | 6v5 | 3–1 |
| 3rd 19:25 | FLA | Sam Bennett | — | 6v5 | 3–2 |
Team Comparison
| Buffalo Sabres | Florida Panthers | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 3 | 2 |
| Shots on goal | 39 | 29 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 4.43 | 4.23 |
| High-danger shots | 15 | 12 |
| Corsi % | 51.5% | 48.5% |
| Power play | 1/3 | 1/4 |
| Faceoff % | 37.3% | 62.7% |
| Hits | 14 | 20 |
| Blocks | 18 | 16 |
| Giveaways | 14 | 15 |
| Takeaways | 7 | 3 |
Buffalo Sabres Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Tuch | R | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 19:23 | 0.67 | 1.59 |
| Peyton Krebs | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 14:37 | 0.78 | 0.90 |
| Bowen Byram | D | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 23:42 | 0.03 | 0.74 |
| Ryan McLeod | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15:58 | 0.12 | 0.69 |
| Beck Malenstyn | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10:57 | 0.08 | 0.65 |
| Tage Thompson | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 19:39 | 0.22 | 0.64 |
| Noah Ostlund | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 14:23 | 0.11 | 0.64 |
| Josh Norris | C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 17:46 | 0.20 | 0.59 |
| Tyson Kozak | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10:45 | 0.08 | 0.25 |
| Josh Doan | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16:23 | 0.60 | 0.25 |
| Owen Power | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23:46 | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Mattias Samuelsson | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23:42 | 0.29 | 0.15 |
| Rasmus Dahlin | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 25:04 | 0.08 | 0.05 |
| Michael Kesselring | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:19 | 0.05 | -0.05 |
| Zach Metsa | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6:13 | 0.05 | -0.05 |
| Jack Quinn | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14:35 | 0.25 | -0.10 |
| Jason Zucker | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:52 | 0.44 | -0.10 |
| Josh Dunne | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8:54 | 0.18 | -0.15 |
Florida Panthers Skaters
| Player | Pos | G | A | P | SOG | TOI | xG | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Bennett | C | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 21:19 | 0.22 | 1.39 |
| Matthew Tkachuk | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 21:34 | 1.57 | 0.65 |
| Brad Marchand | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16:10 | 0.37 | 0.59 |
| Aaron Ekblad | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 27:18 | 0.13 | 0.30 |
| Luke Kunin | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6:43 | 0.24 | 0.20 |
| Donovan Sebrango | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10:23 | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Mackie Samoskevich | R | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:49 | 0.07 | 0.15 |
| Evan Rodrigues | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:36 | 0.09 | 0.10 |
| Anton Lundell | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16:43 | 0.03 | 0.10 |
| Eetu Luostarinen | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15:09 | 0.08 | 0.10 |
| Jeff Petry | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16:24 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| Carter Verhaeghe | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17:21 | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| Niko Mikkola | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25:29 | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Sandis Vilmanis | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7:52 | 0.21 | 0.00 |
| Uvis Balinskis | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8:38 | 0.07 | 0.00 |
| Gustav Forsling | D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 23:51 | 0.09 | -0.05 |
| Sam Reinhart | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22:24 | 0.12 | -0.05 |
| A.J. Greer | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8:21 | 0.35 | -0.10 |
Goaltending
| Goalie | Team | SV | SA | SV% | GSAx | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Lyon | Buffalo Sabres | 28 | 29 | 96.6% | 0.64 | W |
| Daniil Tarasov | Florida Panthers | 36 | 38 | 94.7% | 0.41 | L |
Analysis
The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Florida Panthers 3–2 on Feb 27, 2026, a one-goal game.
Florida Panthers generated 4.23 expected goals to Buffalo Sabres's 4.43 — Buffalo Sabres edged the chance share as well as the scoreline; by expected goals it was close to a coin flip.
Alex Tuch led all skaters with a Game Score of 1.59 on 1 goal, 1 assist, 6 shots on goal.
Alex Lyon stopped 28 of 29, worth 0.64 goals saved above expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers game?
The Buffalo Sabres beat the Florida Panthers 3–2 on Feb 27, 2026.
What was the final score?
The final score was Buffalo Sabres 3, Florida Panthers 2.
Who was the best player in this game?
By Game Score — a single-number summary of everything a skater did — Alex Tuch led all skaters at 1.59, on 1G, 1A and 6 shots on goal.
Which team deserved to win by expected goals?
Florida Panthers generated 4.23 expected goals and Buffalo Sabres generated 4.43, so Buffalo Sabres created the better chances. That matches the result.
What were the shot totals?
Buffalo Sabres put 39 shots on goal and Florida Panthers put 29. High-danger chances went 15 to 12.
How did the goaltenders play?
Alex Lyon stopped 28 of 29 (0.64 goals saved above expected); Daniil Tarasov stopped 36 of 38 (0.41 goals saved above expected).