(Photo credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk is nothing if not honest.

'We're in trouble right now,' Tkachuk told reporters Monday after Florida's 5-3 loss to the visiting Buffalo Sabres.

The Panthers -- the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champs -- have lost four straight games and trail the Boston Bruins by nine points in the battle for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

On Wednesday night, the Panthers will face the Bruins in Sunrise, Fla.

The Panthers have 27 games left in the regular season but just two before a three-week Olympic break. The sense of urgency surrounding the team is real.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice, speaking after Monday's loss, said his players are 'grinding and battling' as hard as possible. In fact, Florida outshot Buffalo 42-20 on Monday.

'If the shots were 40-20 the other way, we'd be shook,' Maurice said.

Even so, Maurice admitted Florida's injuries are an issue, especially after center Sam Bennett left Monday's game in the first period due to an upper-body injury.

Bennett joins several prominent injured Panthers, including forwards Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand as well as defensemen Seth Jones and Dmitry Kulikov.

'That's a problem,' Maurice said, while also sharing Tuesday that a number of these players could return as soon as Wednesday.

Tkachuk, who scored a total of 48 goals the previous two seasons, has only played eight games this season due to injuries.

Following Monday's game, Tkachuk said the Sabres -- who are trying to break an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought -- are more talented than the champs.

'From an individual standpoint, they have us by a lot,' Tkachuk said. 'We have a certain style, and if we play it, we are successful. We just haven't played it enough.

'We cannot try to out-skill teams. We have to get back to the basics and win 1-0 or 2-1. If we don't simplify things, this year will get away from us.'

Barkov and Kulikov each skated in Tuesday's optional practice, the first time either has skated since sustaining their injuries. However, time is starting to dwindle for the twice-reigning champs.

Meanwhile, the Bruins are coming off a 6-5 shootout loss to the host Tampa Bay Lightning in an outdoor game played before 64,617 fans on Sunday.

Boston blew a 5-1 second-period lead.

'The game was over,' Bruins forward David Pastrnak said. 'We had them.'

Wednesday's game will be Boston's final one before its Olympic break.

So far, things have gone relatively well for the Bruins under first-year head coach Marco Sturm, a former Bruins player.

Goalie Jeremy Swayman has bounced back this season from the first losing record in his six-year NHL career. Last season, he went 22-29-7 with a 3.12 goals-against average. This season, he is 22-12-3 with a 2.92 GAA.

Joonas Korpisalo, who is 10-8-1 with a 3.12 GAA, is in his second year as Swayman's backup.

Armed with that duo, the Bruins have not lost consecutive games this calendar year, going 12-2-2 since Dec. 31.

'They're on a heater,' Maurice said of the Bruins.

Offensively, Pastrnak leads Boston in assists (48) and points (70). He's gunning for his fourth straight 100-point season.

Morgan Geekie leads the Bruins in total goals (32), even-strength goals (22) and power-play goals (10). He's also one goal away from matching his career high of 33 goals, set last season.

Charlie McAvoy leads Boston's defensemen in assists (34) and points (38). He also has a six-game point streak, with one goal and eight assists during that span.

The key for McAvoy has been improved health as he has already played 44 games as opposed to just 50 all of last season.

--Field Level Media