Sabres takeaways after Panthers' reality check and Benson's promotion

The Buffalo Sabres lost 4-3 at home to the Florida Panthers after being outcompeted in net-front and defensive play; Zach Benson was moved to the top line and scored his fifth goal of the season.

The Buffalo Sabres lost 4-3 at home to the Florida Panthers on Monday. The Panthers played without Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand. Florida's playoff experience and competitive, net-front style shaped the game. Buffalo had won 13 of 14 games coming into the matchup and had not lost a home game since Nov. 28. Notable details: - Final score: Panthers 4, Sabres 3; Buffalo's home unbeaten streak since Nov. 28 ended. - The Panthers were missing Barkov, Tkachuk and Marchand but still emphasized puck protection, net-front competitiveness and board play. - Buffalo allowed 16 high-danger chances at five-on-five, including 10 in the third period. - Zach Benson was bumped up to the top line, won a net-front battle and scored his fifth goal of the season. - Mattias Samuelsson had an on-ice injury scare after a hard hit, was evaluated by trainers, and was later in the locker room. - Owen Power was involved in a scramble that led to the Panthers' go-ahead goal, and Buffalo's power play has one goal in its last 21 attempts. Summary: The loss highlighted workload and depth concerns on Buffalo's blue line, unsettled special teams, and the fine margins in close games. Buffalo closes the week with scheduled games against the Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild.