Panthers Lose 5-3 to Sabres as Markström Exits After First Period
Sam Reinhart scored twice on the power play, but Florida fell 5-3 in Buffalo and awaits word on Jacob Markström before Tuesday’s game.
Florida’s power play finally found a spark against Buffalo, but the Panthers left KeyBank Center with a 5-3 loss and a new question in goal. Jacob Markström played the first period before leaving the Monday afternoon game, putting his availability for Tuesday’s matchup with Columbus in doubt.
The setback comes with captain Aleksander Barkov and winger Brad Marchand already out. Florida has now lost its top center, a second-line winger and its starting goaltender through six games. Defenseman Radko Gudas also left briefly on Monday, though he returned for the third period. The Panthers’ immediate concern is whether Markström can play again after coaches said he was “tightening up.”
Reinhart delivers a needed power-play response
Sam Reinhart scored twice with the man advantage, including the goal that pulled Florida even at 3-3 in the second period. The goals were his first of the season, arriving in his sixth game, and gave the Panthers a timely lift against his former team.
That production matters beyond one night. Florida had scored 12 goals through its first six games, and Reinhart’s breakthrough offered a possible starting point for an offense still looking for consistent output. His two goals also ended an 18-opportunity stretch without a Panthers power-play score.
There was room for both teams to improve on special teams. Before the game, Florida had converted once on 28 power-play chances, a 3.6 percent rate that ranked 32nd. Buffalo had scored once on 17 opportunities, or 5.9 percent, ranking 30th. The Sabres had five chances with the extra skater and Florida had four; each team scored twice on the power play.
For the Panthers, the breakthrough is useful, but the loss shows how much work remains. A productive power play can help keep games close and turn chances into points, especially in a tight division race. Florida will need more than one strong night from Reinhart to make that unit a reliable part of its attack.
Schmid faces a sudden workload question
Akira Schmid entered in the second period with Florida trailing 1-0. He stopped 18 shots and allowed four goals over 40 minutes, finishing with an .857 save percentage. Buffalo scored the game-winner on the power play.
Monday was Schmid’s second appearance of the season, and both outings have ended in losses. His previous game, against San Jose, included a .875 save percentage. Those early results don’t settle what he can handle over a longer run, but they leave the Panthers facing an urgent roster question if Markström is unavailable.
Florida had planned around Markström as its starter. If he misses time, Schmid could be asked to take on a larger share of the work while the team is also without Barkov and Marchand. That makes the next update on the 36-year-old goaltender more than a routine check-in: it will shape the club’s options for the immediate schedule.
Injuries sharpen the cost of the defeat
The Panthers began the season with their roster healthy, but that picture changed during the West Coast trip. Barkov went down with a lower-body injury, Marchand was sidelined in the following game, and Markström left Monday after one period. Gudas’s brief departure added another tense moment, even though he returned.
Florida had already dealt with frequent absences among key players last season. A new cluster this early puts pressure on available depth and raises the cost of a loss like this one. The Panthers showed they could answer Buffalo’s scoring with two power-play goals, but they couldn’t turn that response into a result.
Columbus comes next
Florida is scheduled to face the Blue Jackets on Tuesday evening, with the puck set to drop at 6:15 p.m. ET. Columbus is listed sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 2-2-0 record. The quick turnaround leaves little time between the Buffalo loss and the next game.
Before that matchup, the key uncertainty is Markström’s status. If he can’t go, Schmid may be called on again after a difficult relief appearance. Reinhart’s two goals give the Panthers something to build on, but their next test will be managing the crease and finding enough offense while several important players are unavailable.
