Bruins Rally in Third, Upend Sabres in OT for Pivotal Win

Boston overcomes 3-2 deficit to defeat Atlantic Division-leading Buffalo in overtime

Mar. 26, 2026 at 8:25am

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The Boston Bruins rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the third period, tying the game late and then winning in overtime on a goal by Pavel Zacha to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. David Pastrnak opened the scoring for Boston and assisted on Zacha's game-winner, while Jason Zucker scored twice for the Sabres.

Why it matters

The win was crucial for the Bruins as they try to improve their playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference, while the loss was the first in over three months for the Atlantic Division-leading Sabres.

The details

Boston trailed 3-2 late in regulation before Casey Mittelstadt tied the game with six minutes remaining. In overtime, Pastrnak set up Zacha for the game-winning goal just 38 seconds into the extra period. The Sabres had taken a 3-2 lead early in the third period on a goal by Zucker, but were unable to hold on for the victory.

  • The Bruins opened the scoring with 8:53 remaining in the first period.
  • The Sabres equalized with 4:42 left before the initial intermission.
  • The Bruins regained the lead near the midway point of the second period.
  • The Sabres took a 3-2 lead early in the third period.
  • Mittelstadt tied the game for the Bruins with six minutes remaining in regulation.
  • Zacha scored the game-winning goal for the Bruins 38 seconds into overtime.

The players

David Pastrnak

A forward for the Boston Bruins who opened the scoring and recorded two assists, including the game-winner in overtime.

Pavel Zacha

A forward for the Boston Bruins who scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

Jason Zucker

A forward for the Buffalo Sabres who scored two goals in the game.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

The goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres who made 27 saves in the game.

Joonas Korpisalo

The goaltender for the Boston Bruins who made 22 saves in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to close out games like this, but credit to the Bruins for battling back. It's a tough loss, but we'll regroup and get ready for the next one.”

— Tage Thompson, Forward, Buffalo Sabres

“That was a huge win for us against the division leaders. We showed a lot of character to come back and get the two points on the road.”

— David Pastrnak

What’s next

The Bruins will look to build on this momentum as they continue their push for a higher playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. The Sabres will aim to bounce back from this tough loss as they try to maintain their lead atop the Atlantic Division.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the resilience and determination of the Boston Bruins, who refused to give up despite trailing late in the third period. The loss was a rare blemish on an otherwise outstanding season for the Buffalo Sabres, who will need to regroup quickly to maintain their position atop the division.