Sabres rally late to stun Bruins in Game 1 of Eastern Conference playoffs
Buffalo, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres erased a two-goal deficit in the final period to shock the Boston Bruins 4-3 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Thursday night at KeyBank Center.
Trailing 3-1 entering the third period, the Sabres unleashed a furious offensive surge, scoring four unanswered goals in just over 12 minutes to complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent franchise playoff history.
Boston had taken a 3-1 lead early in the third on goals from Charlie Coyle, David Pastrnak, and Brad Marchand, appearing poised to steal a road win in the series opener. But Buffalo responded with relentless pressure, beginning with a power-play goal from Tage Thompson at 8:14 of the period to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Just 90 seconds later, Alex Tuch pounced on a loose puck in front of the net to tie the game at 3-3, igniting the home crowd and shifting momentum decisively in Buffalo’s favor.
The Sabres weren’t done. With less than five minutes remaining, Jordan Greenway drove hard to the net and slipped a backhand past Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark to give Buffalo its first lead of the night at 4-3 with 4:18 left in regulation.
Boston threw everything they had at the Sabres in the final minutes, pulling Ullmark for an extra attacker, but Buffalo’s defense held firm, blocking shots and clearing danger to preserve the stunning victory.
The win marks Buffalo’s first playoff game victory since 2011 and signals a dramatic return to postseason relevance for a franchise that has endured years of rebuilding. For the Bruins, the loss raises questions about their ability to close out games after holding late leads, a concern that could echo throughout the series if not addressed.
Sabres head coach Don Granato praised his team’s resilience after the game, noting the effort it took to overcome a deficit against a veteran Bruins squad.
“We believed we could do it,” Granato said. “They kept skating, they kept competing, and they found a way. That’s playoff hockey.”
The victory gives Buffalo a 1-0 series lead as the matchup shifts to Boston for Game 2 on Saturday. The Sabres will look to build on their momentum, while the Bruins face the urgency of responding on their home ice to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole.
With the Eastern Conference playoffs underway, this dramatic opener sets the tone for what promises to be a hard-fought, high-stakes series between two Northeast rivals with contrasting trajectories but shared determination to advance.
