Buffalo secured their spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals Friday night with a decisive 4-1 victory against Boston in Game 6, marking the Sabres’ first playoff series victory in nearly two decades.
The Sabres took control early, with Alex Tuch and Mattias Samuelsson finding the net during the first period to establish a commanding 2-0 advantage. Buffalo maintained their lead throughout the contest, adding third-period goals from Zach Benson and Josh Norris to seal the victory.
This marks Buffalo’s first advancement to the conference semifinals since 2007, ending a lengthy postseason drought. The Sabres dominated their road games in the series, capturing all three contests played at Boston’s home venue.
Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin contributed significantly to the offensive effort, each recording two assists in the victory. Goaltender Alex Lyon was solid between the pipes, turning away 25 shots to help secure the series-clinching win.
For Boston, David Pastrnak managed the team’s only goal, while Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves in the losing effort.
In other playoff action, Vegas eliminated Utah 5-1 in Game 6, with Mitch Marner leading the way with two goals and an assist. The Golden Knights will face Anaheim in the Western Conference semifinals.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay kept their season alive with a 1-0 overtime victory over Montreal, forcing a decisive Game 7. Gage Goncalves netted the game-winner at 9:03 of overtime, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves for his eighth career playoff shutout.
