Rasmus Dahlin Learns His Fate From Department Of Player Safety And Gets Punished

Determined to make a defensive stand as he trailed Anton Lundell down the ice late in the third period Monday night, Rasmus Dahlin's tenacity forced a turnover that seemed poised to shift momentum back to the Buffalo Sabres, trailing the Florida Panthers by one goal. The Sabres had already completed a two-goal comeback and were set up to take advantage of any little thing going their way against the defending Stanley Cup champions.

In the midst of what should have been the turning point, Dahlin committed one of his worst turnovers of the game. As Lundell was skating away from the turnover, Dahlin swung his stick and caught Lundell in the face. The referees immediately called a minor penalty for high-sticking, and Florida went on the man advantage. Buffalo almost got out of it when Jesper Boqvist stepped in to diffuse the situation, but Dahlin made things worse by throwing a punch to ramp things up and give the Panthers an important power play.

That mistake proved costly. Just 95 seconds after the penalty to Dahlin, Florida's Sam Bennett connected on the power play to extend the Panthers' lead. What was almost a game-saving defensive play proved to be the turning point that put the Sabres further behind.

The aftermath didn't just stay on the scoreboard. Today, Dahlin was fined by the NHL Department of Player Safety $5,000 for his reckless conduct during the game. The fine really put into perspective how that momentary frustration cost him dear in shifting the outcome of the game and also dented his wallet and reputation.

But for the Sabres, who fell to 4-5-1 with the 5-2 loss, it was a game of missed opportunity. They had battled back from an early deficit and had an early-period power play that could have tied the game. But critical mistakes like Dahlin's proved too much to overcome against a Panthers team that was all but full strength, making the loss a harsh lesson in the fine line between aggressive play and recklessness.