In Sunrise, the visiting Buffalo Sabres held leads of 3-0 and 4-1 on Thursday, before the Panthers rallied with six unanswered goals i a 7-4 win. 
Florida’s Sam Reinhart had a goal and four points against his former club.
“I thought he was great,” Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette said. “I think when Sammy moves his feet and works and gets on pucks, uses his body, I think the rest of his skill level … his IQ is off the charts, and it enables him to make those plays. It was really fun watching that line play. They were a joy to watch tonight.”
Sergei Bobrovsky allowed four goals and made eight saves before being given the hook.
Spencer Knight made 19 saves in relief.
“Just try to change it up, try to change momentum a little bit there,” Brunette said. “It wasn’t anything with ‘Bob.’ Our breakdowns were horrific in the first period, and we didn’t give him any help there.”
Vinnie Hinostroza scored twice for Buffalo.
“The challenge of that second period, when that accumulates in the second period, the guys can’t get off the ice,” Buffalo head coach Don Granato said. “And then when it accumulates in the game, some fatigue comes in and maybe confidence to the other side comes in and you’re dealing (with) and fighting that. So, you’re fighting a tougher battle as a result, so we need to be a little more efficient, effective when we do have possession, especially coming out of our end.”
With the Sabres up, 4-1, Reinhart scored to make it 4-2, and Aaron Ekblad made it 4-3 before the end of the middle frame.
Ekblad scored his second of the game early in the third to tie the game, 4-4.
Anton Lundell put the Panthers ahead for good at 5-4.
Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt scored single markers for the Sabres.
“They’re a good team,” Buffalo center Casey Mittelstadt said. “That’s how they want to play, that’s what they want to do to you. They’ve been doing it to a lot of teams this year.
“But yeah, I just think at some point when they’re coming after us, we’ve got to fight back, and I think that’s about it. Stop the bleeding. It’s been kind of a sour spot for a lot of years, so that’s on us as players. We’ve got to go out and win the next shift and, yeah, we just let the momentum get too far in their favor.”
The Sabres dropped to 8-12-3.
Lucas Carlson scored his first NHL goal in the Panthers win.
“Really happy for him,” Brunette said of Carlsson. “He’s come in, got his feet wet, gotten in and out (out of the lineup) a little bit. He’s taken the ball and he’s not letting it go, and good for him. He’s doing a little bit of everything for us.”
Jonathan Huberdeau and Lundell  hit for empty-net goals for the 7-4 final.
Aaron Dell made 38 saves in the Buffalo loss.
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