The Boston Bruins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins] (1-1) get their turn to host the Buffalo Sabres [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres] (1-1) for Game 3 of this first round series in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. All told, the Bruins will unsurprisingly make no changes ahead of Game 3, coming off of Game 2's mostly dominant win over the Sabres. The Bruins dominated large swaths of Game 2 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins/game-day/bruins-power-past-sabres-in-second-period-tie-series-at-1], just having a breakdown within the final 10 minutes of the game, where the Sabres again struck twice, but the Bruins held on for a 4-2 win. James Hagens remains in the lineup after he and the second line had a tougher go of things in Game 2, but Bruins Head Coach Marco Sturm is keeping the faith. "He's not afraid, he's not afraid," Sturm said. "We looked at it today, he finished checks and tried to get in there. He's trying hard. He's trying his best. He knows it's a tough league, and you don't get too many opportunities. He also, I think, is smart enough to recognize to do other things right." As for the rest of Boston's lineup, they'll need to be ready to bring it for the TD Garden faithful. It's certain to be an insane environment, one that could rival what Buffalo fans created for the Sabres inside the KeyBank Center. Jeremy Swayman starts as expected. Buffalo, meanwhile, is expected to start Alex Lyon today after pulling Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen in Game 2 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins/latest-news/watch-morgan-geekie-scores-unbelievable-goal-from-center-ice]. Puck drop is scheduled for roughly 7:08 on the East Coast. Bruins Confirmed Game 3 Lineup: Forwards: Morgan Geekie - Elias Lindholm - David Pastrnak Casey Mittelstadt - Pavel Zacha - Viktor Arvidsson James Hagens - Fraser Minten - Marat Khusnutdinov Tanner Jeannot - Sean Kuraly - Mark Kastelic Defense & Starting Goalie: Jonathan Aspirot - Charlie McAvoy Hampus Lindholm - Mason Lohrei Nikita Zadorov - Andrew Peeke Jeremy Swayman
