SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers really needed to make a push before the Olympic break to get back into the playoff race but after Monday night’s fourth straight loss, Matthew Tkachuk summed things up pretty succinctly: “We’re in trouble.’’
The Panthers took a two-goal lead on the Buffalo Sabres but could not hold onto it in an eventual 5-3 loss to Alex Lyon and the Buffalo Sabres — one of the teams Florida’s is trying to chase down in the Eastern Conference/Atlantic Division standings.
As things stand now, Florida is 10 back of Buffalo which holds the top wild-card spot and nine behind Boston which is in the final playoff spot.
After winning the past two Stanley Cup championships and making the Final the past three seasons, the Panthers might just be out of steam.
Losing the high-end players they have lost this season has certainly curtailed Florida’s chances.
On Monday, Sam Bennett was the latest top Florida player to go out with an injury.
He came out after the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return.
Paul Maurice did not offer an update saying more would be known tomorrow.
Florida was playing without Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell — not to mention the likes of Sasha Barkov, Seth Jones, Dmitry Kulikov, Jonah Gadjovich, and Tomas Nosek.
“I feel for the guys who have been going at it for like 55 games and have been put in so many situations,’’ said Tkachuk, who missed the start of the season before coming back Jan. 19.
“It’s wild. Some of the guys in right now, I’m seeing them work their absolute ass off, grind, and play through stuff. It’s been wild. But, we are in trouble right now.’’
The Panthers did give it everything they had Monday night, outshooting the Sabres 41-20 and tying the score late in the second after falling behind 3-2.
But Buffalo scored twice in the third period and move on to Tampa feeling pretty good about things.
The Panthers?
Not so much.
Florida was three points out of the playoffs after going 3-0 on a road trip that wrapped up with a win in Chicago on Jan. 25.
Now, they are looking up at quite a steep hill and appear to have to climb it on crutches.
“We had a great start and then it just got away from us in a hurry,’’ Tkachuk said of Monday’s loss.
“Then, we’re chasing it. We just got away from our game.’’
ON DECK: GAME No. 56
BOSTON BRUINS at FLORIDA PANTHERS
