HOCKEY: Tage Thompson, Sabres seek season-series clincher vs. Panthers

The Buffalo Sabres aim to solidify their hold on a playoff spot, while the Florida Panthers look to close the gap in the Eastern Conference standings when the two teams meet Friday in Sunrise, Florida.

Buffalo comes off a 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday, marking its first game since the NHL's Winter Olympics break. The Sabres currently occupy the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot, five points ahead of the nearest team outside the playoff picture.

"We have something really good going here, and I think every point, especially at this point in the season, is crucial for us," said Sabres forward Tage Thompson. "Especially against teams in the East. It was a big one on Wednesday. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but we found a way to get it done."

After returning from winning a gold medal with Team USA at the Olympics, Thompson joined the morning skate Wednesday and contributed a goal and an assist in 19:19 of ice time. His performance extended his point streak to five games (three goals, three assists) and brought his season totals to 31 goals and 30 assists.

"It kind of shows the character of the guy and how bad he wants to help us win here," teammate Peyton Krebs said.

Krebs has been filling in at left wing on the top line with Thompson and Alex Tuch, in place of injured winger Zach Benson. The 25-year-old Krebs scored the game-winning goal against the Devils and added an assist, giving him 11 points (five goals, six assists) over his past 12 games.

The Panthers, meanwhile, rebounded with a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. Florida scored three times in the first period and added two empty-net goals late in the third.

The win moved the Panthers within eight points of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot held by the Boston Bruins, while the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions trail Buffalo by nine points.

"Everybody understands what we need to do, and that's very important," said goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. "It’s a big win, it’s a big two points for us, but Friday is another biggest game of the year."

Brad Marchand scored twice in the win, giving him 27 goals this season, tying him with Sam Reinhart for the team lead. Marchand now has 52 points, second among Panthers behind Reinhart's 56.

"At the end of the day, the points are what matter, right?" Marchand said. "We did some good things and played really well for having a few weeks off as a group. There are a few things we can work on, but it was a great start."

Friday’s matchup is the last of four meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals. Buffalo won the most recent game, 5-3 in Florida on Feb. 2, and holds a 2-1-0 advantage in the season series.

—Field Level Media/Reuters