Sabres savor special win and now turn the page

Buffalo rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit to beat Boston 4-3 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, snapping a long playoff drought and energizing a lively home crowd. Players and coach emphasized that the team is already focused on preparing for Game 2.

The Buffalo Sabres won Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against Boston, staging a late comeback to take a 4-3 victory and giving the city its first sustained playoff moment in many years. The atmosphere at KeyBank Center was notably intense after a long absence from postseason play, and several players experienced their first NHL playoff game. Team leaders and coach Lindy Ruff described the result as important but stressed the need to move forward quickly toward the next game. What we know: - Buffalo overcame a 2-0 deficit in the third period to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 in Game 1. - Tage Thompson scored two goals in a 2:32 span to tie the game, and Alex Tuch added an empty-net goal that stood as the winner. - Eleven Sabres, including Jack Quinn, made their playoff debuts in the game; Quinn assisted on Mattias Samuelsson's go-ahead goal. - Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves in the game. - Buffalo out-hit Boston 53-38 during the contest, reflecting a physical effort by the Sabres. - Coach Lindy Ruff said the team reviewed the game, planned to rest, and will prepare for the next matchup. Summary: The win gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead in the series and energized players and fans after a long playoff absence. The team described the result as significant but temporary, with preparation and recovery planned ahead of Game 2.