4 takeaways from Buffalo Sabres' 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers

The Buffalo Sabres dug deep to score a 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday afternoon, ending a two-game losing streak, but only time will tell whether it was a Pyrrhic victory after Rasmus Dahlin departed early with an injury.

It was a game that saw both starting goalies, Colten Ellis for Buffalo and Jacob Markstrom for Florida, leave the contest. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stepped in for the Sabres midway through the second period, and he played some of his best hockey of the season to earn the win in relief.

Let's dive into the most important takeaways from Monday's spirited battle.

Rasmus Dahlin injury could spell trouble for Sabres

Dahlin left Monday's game after a few shifts in the second period. The Sabres later ruled him out for the remainder of the afternoon with an upper-body injury.

It almost goes without saying that any type of extended absence for the Buffalo captain would be a massive blow to the team's playoff hopes. He's one of the NHL's best players, the type of talent that's virtually impossible to replace for a team competing in the loaded Eastern Conference.

Dahlin was already up to four points in six games, and the standout defenseman was also blocking shots at a career-high rate, illustrating his high-end two-way impact.

Owen Power will be asked to step into an even bigger role for the time being, and Mattias Samuelsson will need to rediscover some of the offensive magic he displayed last year.

That said, even a team with as much depth on the blue line as the Sabres will struggle mightily to replace Dahlin if he's sidelined for a while.

Josh Norris receives wake-up call from Lindy Ruff

The Sabres' offensive issues during the early stages of the new season didn't stem from a single player, but the fact Josh Norris, who's mostly skated on the top line, had posted no goals and one assist through the club's first five outings was certainly part of the problem.

Head coach Lindy Ruff, who made Jiri Kulich and Konsta Helenius healthy scratches Saturday night against the Utah Mammoth (they returned to the lineup against Florida), sent another message in Monday's matinee by demoting Norris to the fourth line to open the contest.

The 27-year-old center is Buffalo's highest-paid forward by AAV this season ($7.95 million), and his track record of production has typically been strong when he's managed to stay healthy, highlighted by 35 goals for the Ottawa Senators in 2021-22. That type of impact is what the Blue and Gold are going to need from him sooner than later this season.

Norris did skate with a clearer sense of urgency against the Panthers, but taking a couple late penalties will surely draw further ire from Ruff and the coaching staff.

A night in the press box may be on the table for the veteran forward.

Josh Doan finally gets on the score sheet

After going five games without a point, Josh Doan opened the scoring Monday with a laser over the shoulder of Markstrom. He showed a little explosion to create space after receiving a pass from Peyton Krebs, which is a good sign since Ruff hinted the 24-year-old winger has been playing through a minor injury.

Doan's lack of involvement was a concern mostly because of how remarkably consistent he was throughout his first season with the organization. His relentless motor made him a forechecking machine, an element that had been missing so far.

The Arizona State product showed a little more pep in his step Monday, and the Sabres will hope he's able to parlay that into a strong stretch during the club's run against Atlantic Division foes.

Buffalo power play showing some signs of life

Buffalo's play with the man advantage has been a persistent issues over the past couple seasons, and it was pretty much a debacle to open the new campaign. The unit has started to generate more consistent offensive-zone pressure in recent games, though.

That continued Monday as Dahlin skated into a massive slap shot late in the first period for the team's second goal:

Jack Quinn, Zach Benson and Noah Ostlund then combined on a nice passing play in the third:

If recent history is a guide, the Sabres probably won't possess the NHL's best power play, but even making a push toward the top 10 would provide a substantial boost.

Buffalo's penalty kill, which faltered a bit again Monday, must also step up in the weeks ahead.

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