Sabres Defeat Stars 4-1 in Final Regular Season Matchup

Buffalo secures home-ice advantage in Atlantic Division with victory over Dallas

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:35am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and ice surface broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in shades of blue, gold, and white, conveying the intensity and energy of the matchup.The Sabres' victory over the Stars secures home-ice advantage in the Atlantic Division playoffs, a crucial advantage in the postseason.Dallas Today

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Dallas Stars 4-1 in their final regular season matchup on Wednesday, April 15th. The win secures home-ice advantage for the Sabres in the Atlantic Division playoffs. Buffalo's Tage Thompson scored two goals, while Alex Lyon made 32 saves in the victory.

Why it matters

This game had no bearing on the playoff standings, as both teams had already clinched postseason berths. However, the win gives the Sabres the edge of home-ice advantage in the upcoming Atlantic Division playoffs, which could prove crucial in a tight series.

The details

The Sabres jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. The Stars cut the deficit to 2-1 in the second period, but Thompson added another goal in the third to make it 3-1. An empty-net goal in the final minute sealed the 4-1 victory for Buffalo.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 7:00 pm EDT.
  • The Sabres scored two goals in the first period to take an early lead.

The players

Tage Thompson

The Sabres' leading scorer, who tallied two goals in the game.

Rasmus Dahlin

The Sabres' defenseman who scored one goal in the first period.

Alex Lyon

The Sabres' starting goaltender, who made 32 saves in the victory.

Jason Robertson

The Stars' leading scorer, who was held to just one assist in the game.

Jake Oettinger

The Stars' starting goaltender, who made 28 saves in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this game didn't matter in the standings, but we still wanted to come out and play our best hockey. Securing home-ice is a big advantage for us heading into the playoffs.”

— Tage Thompson, Sabres Forward

“Give credit to the Sabres, they came out and played a strong game. We just couldn't generate enough offense to overcome their early lead.”

— Jason Robertson, Stars Forward

What’s next

The Sabres will now await their first-round playoff opponent, while the Stars will prepare for their own postseason run.

The takeaway

The Sabres' victory over the Stars not only secured home-ice advantage in the Atlantic Division playoffs, but also demonstrated the team's ability to win important games down the stretch, even when the standings implications were minimal.