The Florida Panthers have dropped their fourth straight game, shutout by the Buffalo Sabres 3-0.
No goals away from home. The Florida Panthers are realizing that scoring goals without Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk is difficult.
The Panthers are four games into their five-game road trip, losing all four games and scoring just four goals. In today's afternoon contest against the Buffalo Sabres, the Panthers were shut out, losing 3-0.
The Panthers were given every opportunity to break their slump. The Panthers had seven power play opportunities, but failed to convert. On their road trip, the Panthers are just 1-for-19 on the power play in their past four games.
In today's afternoon contest, the Panthers outshot the Sabres 32-31 despite having three more power play opportunities. The Panthers need more offensive chances and ultimately more production.
The Panthers have had a disadvantage in expected goals in all but three of their games. They've also generated more than 10 high-danger chances at 5-on-5 in just two games, according to Natural Stat Trick.
The top players on the Panthers roster aren't producing enough, but the Panthers have built their identity on depth, and the contributions up and down the lineup and from the blueline aren't enough.
“It’s not really going in for anyone right now. I think I’d like a little more urgency, a little bit more assertiveness out of everybody. It’s almost like when it’s not going your way, especially early on in the year, you start deferring, you start hoping when you get in the offensive zone that something’s going to work out as opposed taking the bull by the horns,” said Sam Reinhart on Florida’s recent offensive struggles.
The Panthers' final game of the road trip is on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins, where they'll be looking to end their slump and pick up their first road points of the season.
Panthers suffer fourth straight defeat, lose Niko Mikkola to injury
Florida lost their fourth straight game on Saturday in Buffalo, and they also lost a key defenseman as Niko Mikkola left with an injury and did not return.