{"id":870087,"date":"2026-04-19T17:49:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T17:49:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/870087\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T17:49:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T17:49:29","slug":"bills-send-lets-go-buffalo-vibes-to-sabres-before-playoffs-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/870087\/","title":{"rendered":"Bills send “Let’s go Buffalo” vibes to Sabres before playoffs opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Buffalo Bills<\/a> know a thing or two about ending a long playoff drought.<\/p>\n

Back in 2017, the Bills stopped a 17-year streak of futility<\/a> by snagging a wild-card berth when the Cincinnati Bengals upset the Baltimore Ravens in the regular-season finale. <\/p>\n

So it\u2019s understandable that Buffalo\u2019s NFL<\/a> team would want to pump up its NHL<\/a> counterpart. The Buffalo Sabres<\/a> play their first Stanley Cup playoff game since 2011 on Sunday, April 19.<\/p>\n

MORE: NHL playoffs kick off with intense fight as Jordan Staal takes on Brady Tkachuk<\/a><\/p>\n

Early on Sunday, the Bills took to X<\/a> to post a good-luck video from their players with the caption \u201cS-A-B-R-E-S!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood luck, boys,\u201d Bills defensive end Michael Hoecht said in the video. \u201cCycle the puck, shots in deep, shots on net.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said offensive lineman Spencer Brown, \u201cIn Tage Thompson we trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAppreciate everything ya\u2019ll did, pulling up on us,\u201d veteran safety Damar Hamlin said. \u201cIt\u2019s ya\u2019ll turn to go handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the 2017 postseason run ended with a 10-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Bills now have made seven consecutive playoff appearances. Buffalo advanced to a pair of AFC title games under superstar quarterback Josh Allen.<\/p>\n

Like the Bills, the Sabres have never won a world championship. However, the Bills boast a pair of AFL titles (1964 and 1965).<\/p>\n

As for the Sabres, they ended an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought by winning the Atlantic Division in 2025-26. Buffalo went 50-23-9 to rack up 109 points, three more than the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. The point total represents the franchise\u2019s most since 2006-07, when the Sabres advanced to the Eastern Conference Final.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Buffalo fans are thrilled with their team\u2019s return to the playoffs. The Sabres are anticipating a raucous atmosphere with the seventh-seeded Boston Bruins visit KeyBank Center for Game 1 on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s going to be a whole other animal,\u201d Buffalo forward Alex Tuch said, per NHL.com<\/a>. \u201cI think the roof\u2019s going to probably pop off the building. They\u2019re going to be so pumped and ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Buffalo hosts Boston at 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday on ESPN and the ESPN app.<\/p>\n

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