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Cats' comeback effort comes up short, Panthers lose 5-3 in Buffalo for second straight regulation defeat

The Florida Panthers fell to a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, marking their second consecutive regulation loss to start the season. The Sabres' victory was sealed by Noah Ostlund, who scored the game-winning goal on a power play just 7:15 into the third period.

The Panthers entered the game already dealing with key absences, including forwards Sasha Barkov and Brad Marchand, as well as starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who left early in the contest. Buffalo’s captain, Rasmus Dahlin, also left the game in the second period after suffering an upper-body injury, though he did manage to score his second goal of the season before exiting.

The loss compounded the Panthers’ struggles, particularly on the power play, which has been a major concern early in the campaign.

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