The Buffalo Sabres start a stretch of three games against the top three clubs in the Atlantic Division against the Florida Panthers on Saturday. [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0828ae01-4a2a-4a67-944f-77fbd7e8c702.jpeg] The Buffalo Sabres start a stretch of three games against the top three clubs in the Atlantic Division against the Florida Panthers on Saturday. The Buffalo Sabres are playing out the string of another playoffless season, but with four games left in the on the schedule, the club will have a big say on who will win the Atlantic Division and have home-ice advantage in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Sabres take on the Florida Panthers in the first of back-to-back weekend games in the Sunshine State on Saturday and will start James Reimer in goal. The Panthers are in third place in the Atlantic with 96 points. They would move into a tie for second place with Tampa Bay and come closer to locking up one of the top three spots in the division, moving six points ahead of the Ottawa Senators with a win over Buffalo. Other Sabres Stories Is Peterka In Prime Position For Big Payday? [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/is-peterka-in-prime-position-for-big-payday] Sabres Ownership Ranked Worst In NHL By Survey In The Athletic [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/sabres-ownership-ranked-worst-in-nhl-by-survey-in-the-athletic] Dahlin Refutes Assertion Of Wanting Out Of Buffalo [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/dahlin-refutes-assertion-of-wanting-out-of-buffalo] On Sunday, the Sabres play in Tampa against the Lightning, who have 98 points. Depending on the outcome of the Toronto - Montreal game on Saturday, the Lightning could move into a tie with the Leafs for first place entering the final week of the campaign. Tampa has stumbled in the last few games, with overtime losses to Toronto and Detroit, so on the eve of a critical match against the Panthers on Tuesday, they will need to get two points with Buffalo likely starting Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The Maple Leafs make their final visit to Buffalo on Tuesday, with potentially a lot riding on the outcome. The Leafs have 100 points and will use up their game in hand on Tampa on Saturday. If they win over the Habs and on Sunday in the second of back-to-back games in Carolina on Sunday, a win at Key Bank Center could conceivably clinch the division, but with the Sabres 13-2-0 in their last 15 games and 22-14-3 overall this season at Key Bank Center and their traditional good fortune against Toronto at home, Buffalo could very well strike a blow to their hated rival’s division-winning aspirations. Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo [https://twitter.com/MikeInBuffalo]
