Tempers flared during the Buffalo Sabres’ 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers. As expected when divisional opponents come across in the NHL, the on-ice events weren’t easily forgotten after the game. On that note, Rasmus Dahlin made something clear to Brad Marchand.
Chaos erupted on the frozen surface at KeyBank Center. As the Sabres recorded back-to-back wins over Atlantic Division rivals, the Panthers continue their downward spiral with four straight losses. None of which have been in decent fashion, instead Marchand and the Cats have been outplayed and exposed.
The message sent across the NHL is crystal clear: the Panthers are up against the ropes, and if anyone is looking to land a blow, now is as good a time as any in the past three years. Florida looks lost on the ice without its biggest stars, as new injuries seem to arise by the day. The Cats just can’t catch a break—and the Sabres were the latest to take advantage of it.
Aftermath
Marchand took out his frustration on Dahlin, prompting the NHL to make an example of him with a hefty fine. It was a leader-on-leader clash meant to spark some life into his teammates on the visiting bench. Instead, all it did was hand Dahlin another source of bragging rights.
Brad Marchand at Amerant Bank Arena on October 11, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida.
“Whoever gets the most angry is usually the one that gets the penalty,” Dahlin said, per NHL.com. “You have to stay calm in those moments. Usually he’s really good at that, but I won a little battle today.”
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Brad Marchand punished by NHL with ‘maximum’ possible fine for controversial actions in Panthers’ loss to Sabres
Little brother
It’s not often a 25-year-old teaches a lesson to a 37-year-old veteran in the NHL. However, following Buffalo’s shutout triumph over Florida, Dahlin voiced a strong reminder for Marchand. Perhaps belittling, perhaps honest. Either way, it’s a bold choice from the young defenseman, who is set to face Marchand and the reigning Stanley Cup champions three more times in the season.
“He’s a competitor,” Dahlin concluded, per Athlon Sports. “I’ve probably done something like that in the past, too, so stuff happens out there.”
Winds of change
If the NHL regular season is ever a reflection of a team’s aspirations, then the Sabres have reason to believe. After defeating both Ottawa and Florida in consecutive outings, Buffalo has plenty to be excited about. Finally, the City of Light might be seeing just that—light at the end of the tunnel.
With their win over the Panthers, the Sabres started off the head-to-head matchup with the back-to-back champions on the right note. Prior to this victory, Buffalo had only won twice against Florida in the past four seasons. So far, so good.
