Sabres score four goals in third to rally past Bruins 4-3 in playoff opener

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Mattias Samuelson scored with 3:24 left and Buffalo overcame a two-goal deficit in the final eight minutes to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Sunday night in the Sabres’ first playoff game in 15 years.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Mattias Samuelson scored with 3:24 left and Buffalo overcame a two-goal deficit in the final eight minutes to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Sunday night in the Sabres’ first playoff game in 15 years.

Tage Thompson scored goals 3:42 apart to tie it, and Alex Tuch sealed the victory by scoring into an empty net with 1:12 left in nearly blowing the roof off the arena.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 17 shots.

Buffalo Sabres right wing Josh Doan (91) carries the puck past Boston Bruins defenceman Andrew Peeke (26) during the first period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres right wing Josh Doan (91) carries the puck past Boston Bruins defenceman Andrew Peeke (26) during the first period in Game 1 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo hosts Game 2 of the best-of-seven, first-round series on Tuesday night.

The playoff win was Buffalo’s first at home — and first overall — since a 1-0 victory over Philadelphia in Game 4 of a first-round series April 20, 2011. The Sabres proceeded to lose the series in seven games. The Sabres won their first Atlantic Division title this season and snapped an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.

David Pastrnak scored with seven seconds remaining, and had two assists for Boston. Morgan Geekie and Elias Lindholm also scored for the Bruins, who finished the regular season 33-2-4 when leading after two periods.

Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves.

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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