Sabres vs. Bruins live score, updates, highlights from NHL playoffs return to Buffalo after 15 years originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — KeyBank Center is the site of the best story in the NHL: the Buffalo Sabres.
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The Sabres had missed the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons, but they’re back, and it starts Sunday night. The Eastern Conference first-round series matches Buffalo up with the Boston Bruins in a series that matches one of hockey’s surprise teams against one of its perennial contenders.
The Sabres were in last place in the Eastern Conference on December 8.
By the end of the regular season, they had the second-most points in the East, not just getting into the playoffs but ensuring that their return would be played at home.
It’s hard to know for sure how the Sabres will respond to this season, but given the way they played the whole second half of the campaign, it’s safe to expect them to be formidable.
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The Bruins, of course, won’t be a pushover. Led by David Pastrnak, Boston remains a talented bunch, and they made it out of a jumble in the Eastern Conference standings to ensure this playoff berth.
The NHL clearly likes the storylines here: They made it the primetime ESPN game on Sunday night as the playoffs opened this weekend.
Below, we’ll bring you all the updates you need to keep up with the action from Buffalo with The Sporting News live from the KeyBank Center.
MORE: How Rasmus Dahlin, fiancee overcame near-death experience
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins live score
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1st Period |
2nd Period |
3rd Period |
Live score |
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Boston Bruins |
1 |
0 |
1* |
2 |
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Buffalo Sabres |
0 |
0 |
1* |
1 |
MORE: Lindy Ruff’s journey back to the playoffs with Sabres 15 years later
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Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins live updates
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Third Period
– With 7:58 left, Tage Thompson wraps around a backhand and scores. Game on.
– Buffalo with just two shots on goal in the first 10 minutes of the third. Gonna need something extra to mount a comeback.
– Swayman was nearly human. A Josh Doan shot threatened to squirt under his arm, but he gathered at the last moment. Still 2-0 with 13:38 left.
– Buffalo gets another couple shots on this powerplay. Nothing to show for it. About 15:20 to play and back at even strength.
– Sabres get a powerplay with 17:19 to play, down two, David Pastrnak penalty.
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– Tage Thompson skated off unprompted — not clear if something is wrong with his skate or if he might have an injury.
– 1:08 into the third, Elias Lindholm scores on a rebound, through the five-hole. 2-0 Bruins with 18:52 to play.
– They showed some Buffalo Bills linemen on the scoreboard to start the third period. Maybe that’ll help?
– Buffalo has outshot Boston through two periods, 27-13. Will the floodgates open?
– Action will resume about 9:40 p.m. ET.
Second Period
– Jeremy Swayman makes one final glove save to end the second period. He’s 26-for-26. It’s a scoreless second and 1-0 Bruins after two.
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– Sabres have outshot the Bruins 24-12 most of the way through the second period and have nothing to show for it yet.
– Buffalo doesn’t come close to getting a shot on a brutal two minutes of powerplay.
– Sabres powerplay with 7:18 left in the second. Andrew Peeke holding.
– The Sabres are creating the chances. They aren’t scoring yet. There’s 7:34 left in the second period as they clean the ice.
– UPL denies David Pastrnak on a breakaway. Massive moment with 9:41 left in the second.
– Jeremy Swayman is singlehandedly keeping Buffalo off the scoreboard. And this is coming back to say it again. Goodness.
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– UPL with a big save on a wide open breakaway to deny the Bruins.
– Bruins kill that penalty. Back to even strength with 17:30 left in the escond.
– Bruins penalty Pavel Zach 27 seconds into the second period. It’ll be 23 seconds of 4-on-4 and then 1:37 of a Buffalo powerplay.
– Sabres have 50 seconds of a penalty to kill to start the second.
– Hockey will resume at about 8:42 p.m. ET.
First Period
– Jeremy Swayman the player of the first period, with 15 saves, including some very good ones.
– Sabres keep Boston from getting a second before the first period ends. Morgan Geekie passed up a wide open net late to try and pass.
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– Bruins get a powerplay with 1:10 left in the first period as Jason Zucker goes to the box.
– Bruins kill the powerplay — Sabres with three great chances in the two minutes.
– Ryan McLeod with a great solo rush in on goal but another Swayman stop.
– The Sabres got the puck across the line, but it was only after shoving with Swayman and the net, so it doesn’t count.
– Swayman with a fantastic glove save on Dahlin midway through the powerplay.
– Sabres on the powerplay with 5:15 left in the first period. Nikita Zadorov for crosschecking.
– Sabres kill the penalty. Back to even strength with less than six minutes to go in the first.
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– Bruins powerplay less than two minutes after the goal. Rasmus Dahlin to the box for two minutes for hooking.
– 10:52 into the first period, Morgan Geekie scores the opening goal for the Bruins. David Pastrnak had a shot blocked, but it went right into Geekie’s path to make it 1-0 Boston.
– Mattias Samuelsson just absolutely lit someone up.
– Jason Zucker with a strong chance in front but not quite for Buffalo with about 11 minutes remaining in the first period. Swayman with a strong left pad.
– Couple early icings by the Bruins. Sabres’ forecheck has been strong.
– Six minutes in and the biggest play might be a diving blocked shot by Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson on what otherwise looked like a clean look from the slot for the Bruins.
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– Some heavy hits early, including one by Alex Tuch. One shot on target apiece in first four minutes.
– Sabres have the first shot on target, an easy catch for Swayman. KeyBank Center is LOUD.
– It’s time. Playoff hockey is back in Buffalo.
Pregame
– Among the lines intrigue: The Bruins have a pairing of youngsters on the third line with James Hagens and Fraser Minten.
– Warmups are done. Pregame festivities commence at 7:29, with faceoff at 7:42.
– As expected, starting goalies are Jeremy Swayman for Boston and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for Buffalo.
– About 45 minutes until opening faceoff and the KeyBank Center is already nearly full. These fans are ready.
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– They just showed a very small baby on the video board. That child will never know what the playoff drought was like.
– In the arena, the band Uncovered Buffalo provides some pregame entertainment. They open with that classic line: “The boys are back in town.” Yep, Sabres playoff hockey is back in town.
– Also, because of course it has, it has snowed in much of Western New York on Sunday.
– Parking lots in downtown Buffalo are cleaning up tonight. Even a couple miles from the arena was $30, and only up from there.
– A sign on the way on 33-West into Buffalo reads, “Welcome to Lindy Ruffalo.” The city is ready.
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– Of note for fans tuning in: The official time scheduled for the opening faceoff is 7:42 p.m. ET.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
