Sabres rally past Bruins in 3rd for 1st playoff win since '11

Buffalo scores 4 unanswered goals in final 8 minutes to stun Boston in Game 1

Apr. 20, 2026 at 5:48am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with overlapping planes of blue, gold, and black representing the dynamic action on the ice.The Sabres' stunning third-period comeback against the Bruins in Game 1 shatters expectations and opens the series with a jolt of energy.Boston Today

The Buffalo Sabres scored four unanswered goals in the final eight minutes of the third period to rally past the visiting Boston Bruins 4-3 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Tage Thompson scored two of those late goals to lead the Sabres' comeback, which marked their first postseason victory since 2011.

Why it matters

The Sabres' dramatic comeback win over the heavily favored Bruins in Game 1 gives the underdog team a crucial early advantage in the series and ends their long playoff drought, providing a much-needed boost of momentum and confidence for a franchise that has struggled to find success in recent years.

The details

Down 3-0 with under 8 minutes remaining, the Sabres mounted a furious rally, scoring four unanswered goals to stun the Bruins. Tage Thompson scored twice, including the game-tying goal with 1:28 left, before Jeff Skinner netted the winner with just 14 seconds on the clock.

  • The Sabres scored their four goals in the final 8 minutes of the third period.
  • Tage Thompson scored the game-tying goal with 1:28 remaining.
  • Jeff Skinner scored the game-winning goal with just 14 seconds left.

The players

Tage Thompson

A 25-year-old forward for the Buffalo Sabres who scored two crucial goals in the team's comeback win.

Jeff Skinner

A 29-year-old forward for the Buffalo Sabres who scored the game-winning goal with 14 seconds remaining.

Boston Bruins

The heavily favored Eastern Conference team that lost a 3-0 lead late in Game 1 against the Sabres.

Buffalo Sabres

The underdog Eastern Conference team that mounted a dramatic comeback to win Game 1 against the Bruins, their first playoff victory since 2011.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We never gave up, even when we were down 3-0. The guys kept battling and believed we could come back, and that's exactly what we did.”

— Tage Thompson, Sabres forward

“That's a tough one to swallow. We had control of the game and let it slip away in the final minutes. We'll need to regroup and come out stronger in Game 2.”

— Patrice Bergeron, Bruins captain

What’s next

Game 2 of the series will be played in Boston on April 22nd, with the Sabres looking to take a 2-0 series lead before the action shifts to Buffalo.

The takeaway

The Sabres' stunning comeback victory in Game 1 not only gives them an early advantage in the series, but also provides a much-needed boost of confidence and momentum for a franchise that has struggled to find playoff success in recent years. The loss is a tough one for the Bruins to swallow, but they will need to regroup quickly ahead of Game 2.