Buffalo Sabres Crush Bruins 6-1 in Game 4: Postgame Recap

BOSTON — The Buffalo Sabres are officially on the brink of history. Following a spectacular performance on Sunday afternoon, the team is just one victory away from securing their first playoff series win in nineteen years.

Buffalo completely overwhelmed the Boston Bruins from the opening puck drop at TD Garden. They skated away with a decisive 6-1 victory to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Alex Lyon was stellar in the crease for the Sabres, while Jeremy Swayman struggled to contain the early offensive onslaught.

A Flawless First Period

Buffalo established their dominance immediately by attacking the net with relentless pressure. The Sabres opened the scoring just over four minutes into the game. A Boston turnover led to a quick transition, allowing Alex Tuch to perfectly set up Peyton Krebs for his second goal of the postseason.

Shortly after a Buffalo power play expired, the visitors struck again. Josh Doan positioned himself perfectly in the crease to redirect a feed from Ryan McLeod, making it a two-goal game.

The offensive explosion did not stop there. Zach Benson showcased his individual skill by driving hard to the net and sliding the puck past Swayman. By the time Bowen Byram deposited his third goal of the series into a wide-open net following a defensive mix-up, Buffalo held a 4-0 advantage. The Sabres outshot the Bruins by a massive 19-5 margin in the opening twenty minutes.

Staying Composed Under Pressure

Boston attempted to change the momentum during the second period by significantly increasing their physical play. The Bruins delivered several heavy hits and managed to outshoot Buffalo 9-4. Furthermore, they nearly found the back of the net when a shot rang sharply off the goal post.

Despite the physical pushback, Buffalo played a remarkably mature second period. They consistently cleared pucks out of their defensive zone and refused to engage in any post-whistle altercations instigated by Nikita Zadorov. Boston also suffered a setback when Viktor Arvidsson left with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Meanwhile, the only blemish for Buffalo remained their power play. They failed to convert on early opportunities, extending their current slump on the man advantage to thirty-eight consecutive attempts dating back to the regular season. Buffalo is now 0-for-17 on the power play in this series alone.

Closing Out the Matinee

The Sabres quickly put the game completely out of reach early in the third period. Beck Malenstyn successfully deflected a point shot short-side to extend the lead to five. Less than two minutes later, Tage Thompson delivered a beautiful cross-crease pass to Tuch, who buried the sixth Buffalo goal. That final tally officially chased Swayman from the net, prompting Joonas Korpisalo to take over in the crease.

The game grew increasingly physical in the final minutes. Zadorov was assessed a five-minute major for cross-checking Rasmus Dahlin. Additionally, Tyson Kozak and Jason Zucker were both absent from the Buffalo bench during the closing minutes after Kozak awkwardly went into the boards following a hit.

Boston ultimately ruined Lyon’s shutout bid with a shorthanded goal from Sean Kuraly in the final minute. However, it was far too late to change the outcome.

By the Numbers and Looking Ahead

Alex Lyon earned the first star of the game with a spectacular performance, stopping 23 of 24 shots. Bowen Byram and Alex Tuch claimed the second and third stars after recording two points each. Tuch led all skaters with six shots on goal, while Malenstyn contributed significantly with four hits and four blocked shots.

Boston dominated the faceoff circle by winning nearly sixty-seven percent of the draws and outhit Buffalo 41-22. However, the Sabres controlled the shot clock 35-24 and blocked more shots than the Bruins.

The series now shifts back to Western New York. Buffalo will attempt to close out the series and advance on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., with the game airing locally on MSG and nationally on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max.