The Buffalo Sabres had a prime opportunity to close out their opening-round series on home ice, but the Boston Bruins simply refused to go quietly. David Pastrnak found the back of the net midway through sudden-death overtime to give the Bruins a hard-fought 2-1 road victory on Tuesday night. Boston’s crucial win narrows Buffalo’s series lead to three games to two, forcing a Game 6 back at TD Garden on Friday. Both goaltenders put on a clinic in front of a tense KeyBank Center crowd. Alex Lyon continued his stellar postseason play for Buffalo by making 27 saves, while Jeremy Swayman provided a sturdy and resilient presence at the other end for Boston to keep his team’s season alive. Breaking the Power-Play Slump The Sabres struck first and finally broke out of a massive special teams rut in the process. Buffalo earned an early man advantage, and Rasmus Dahlin capitalized by blasting a shot past Swayman just over three minutes...Read More

The Buffalo Sabres are on the verge of reaching the second round. After thoroughly handling their business during a two-game road trip, Buffalo returns to KeyBank Center tonight holding a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Boston Bruins. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m., and a victory would secure Buffalo’s first home playoff series clinch since they defeated the New York Islanders back in 2007. Managing the Momentum Buffalo completely dismantled Boston in Game 4. A massive four-goal opening period set the tone for what the coaching staff felt was their most complete twenty minutes of the year, ultimately coasting to a 6-1 victory. Despite the lopsided result, the locker room understands the harsh reality of elimination hockey. The messaging internally is clear: closing out a series is always the most difficult hurdle. Boston is a desperate opponent staring down the end of their season. The Sabres are fully aware that a team with nothing to lose will throw...Read More