After missing the playoffs for an NHL record 14 straight times, the Buffalo Sabres [http://thn.com/buffalo] have officially clinched a playoff spot for the 2026 post-season. The Sabres officially booked their ticket to the playoffs thanks to the New York Rangers [http://thn.com/nyrangers] and their 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings [http://thn.com/detroit] on Saturday. Additionally, with the Red Wings’ loss, the Tampa Bay Lightning [http://thn.com/tampabay] have also booked their spot in the playoffs. The last time Sabres fans experienced this feeling was in 2010-11. In those playoffs, they were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers [http://thn.com/philadelphia] in the first round in seven games. However, as Buffalo pushes for the top spot of the Atlantic Division, which could earn them a more favorable matchup and home ice advantage, they’ll be looking to get further in the post-season this time around. Buffalo’s quest to catch the division title continues on Saturday with its contest against the Washington Capitals [http://thn.com/washington], who are still hunting for a spot in the post-season. Ahead of that outing, the Sabres have a 46-22-8 record and are tied with the Lightning for first place in the Atlantic with 100 points each. They also have the Montreal Canadiens [http://thn.com/montreal] breathing down their necks, as the Canadiens have 98 points with a game in hand on the Sabres. NHL Wild-Card Race: Which Of The Senators, Red Wings And Blue Jackets Look Strongest? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a5b2d278-df9f-4443-a8a5-ed50eb65d278.jpeg] NHL Wild-Card Race: Which Of The Senators, Red Wings And Blue Jackets Look Strongest? The race for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference is ferocious. The Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are tied in points. Who gets in? [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/nhl-wild-card-race-which-of-the-senators-red-wings-and-blue-jackets-look-strongest] Buffalo became the second team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a playoff spot, with the Carolina Hurricanes [http://thn.com/carolina] earning the first guaranteed spot on Thursday after beating the Columbus Blue Jackets [http://thn.com/columbus]. It wasn’t such a sure thing for the Sabres to make the Stanley Cup playoffs this season after another poor start to the campaign, as the belief once again led to fans thinking that it would be another disappointing year in Buffalo. But the GM change, firing Kevyn Adams and promoting Jarmo Kekalainen on Dec. 15, seemed to wake the team up, and they never looked back since. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a26e749a-7e60-4492-8ad2-3a0a7642fa28.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*10jtnwk*_ga*NDAxOTY4NTMuMTc1NTg5NTA0Mg..*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NzUzMjg2OTYkbzI5MCRnMSR0MTc3NTMzMTU3NCRqNTUkbDAkaDA.]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
