Buffalo Sabres - Boston Bruins Game Preview
4/19/26 - 7:30 pm at KeyBank Center, in Buffalo, NY
Buffalo – 50-23-9 | - 109 points – 1st place in the Atlantic Division
Boston – 45-27-10 | - 100 points – 4th place in the Atlantic Division
Special Teams
Buffalo
Power Play – 19.5% (21st)
Penalty Kill – 81.9% (4th)
Boston
Power Play – 23.4% (9th)
Penalty Kill - 77.0% (24th)
Top Scorers
Buffalo
Tage Thompson: 81 GP, 40 G, 41 A, 81 PTS
Rasmus Dahlin: 77 GP, 19 G, 55 A, 74 PTS
Alex Tuch: 79 GP, 33 G, 33 A, 66 PTS
Boston
David Pastrnak: 77 GP, 29 G, 71 A, 100 PTS
Morgan Geekie: 81 GP, 39 G, 29 A, 68 PTS
Pavel Zacha: 78 GP, 30 G, 35 A, 65 PTS
Starting Goalies(projected)
Buffalo – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (22-9-3, 2.49 GAA, .910 Sv %)
Boston – Jeremy Swayman (31-18-4, 2.69 GAA, .908 Sv %)
Other Sabres Stories
Sabres Line Combinations and Pairings (projected)
Forwards
Peyton Krebs - Tage Thompson - Alex Tuch
Zach Benson - Josh Norris - Josh Doan
Jason Zucker - Ryan McLeod - Jack Quinn
Jordan Greenway - Tyson Kozak - Beck Malenstyn
Ex., Josh Dunne, Tanner Pearson
Defense
Mattias Samuelsson - Rasmus Dahlin
Owen Power - Bowen Byram
Conor Timmins - Michael Kesselring
Ex. Luke Schenn, Logan Stanley, Zach Metsa
Goaltenders
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Alex Lyon
Colten Ellis
Injuries
Justin Danforth (lower body, Oct. 18; injured reserve)
Jiri Kulich (blood clot, Nov. 4; injured reserve - out for the season)
Sam Carrick (upper body, Mar. 31; injured reserve)
Noah Ostlund (upper body, Mar. 25; day-to-day)
Notes
On April 4, Buffalo clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2010-11. On April 13 at Chicago, Buffalo clinched the Atlantic Division title, marking the team’s first division title since 2009-10 (Northeast Division) and the first time the Sabres had won the Atlantic Division (realigned in 2013-14).
In 2025-26, the Sabres became the fifth team in NHL history to win their division after overcoming a standings deficit of eight or more points, joining Washington (2007-08 and 2012-13), Pittsburgh (1990-91), and Chicago (1969-70).
The Sabres have compiled 124 playoff wins all-time, 92 of which have come in regulation.
12 current Sabres have appeared in at least one playoff game in their career, including five who have amassed at least 50 games played in the postseason (Ryan McLeod, 56; Tanner Pearson, 59; Luke Schenn, 58; Alex Tuch, 66; Jason Zucker, 52).
Buffalo recorded 50 wins in the regular season, which marked the third time in franchise history that the team has earned 50 or more wins in a single season (2005-06, 52; 2006-07, 53).
This season, Buffalo (30-point increase from 2024-25), had the third-largest year-over-year increase (1971-72 to 1972-73, 37 points; 1973-74 to 1974-75, 37 points) in franchise history, excluding lockout and COVID-19 shortened seasons.
Tage Thompson tallied 58 points (27+31) in 52 games from Dec. 9 to the end of the regular season and his 24 even-strength goals in that span ranked tied for fifth among all NHL skaters.
Rasmus Dahlin ranked first among all Sabres skaters in assists (55) and second in points (74) this season.
Josh Norris ended the regular season on a six-game point streak, and he had seven points (3+4) in that span.
In his final five games of the regular season, Zach Benson notched at least one point in each contest and posted seven points (3+4) in that span.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo
THN.com/Free