Today could be the day.

The Buffalo Sabres can clinch a playoff spot on Thursday when they take on the Ottawa Senators.

It’s been a long time. The Sabres have missed the postseason in each of the last 14 NHL campaigns.

They last played an actual playoff game on April 26, 2011.

They’re all but assured to get in this year. There’s a lot of time left and very little to still do.

But that actually feeling of clinching will be a special one. It will end the longest playoff drought in the league.

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How do the Sabres clinch a playoff spot vs. the Senators?

Win.

That’s it.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s in regulation or overtime or a shootout.

The Sabres’ magic number entering the night is two points. A win would get them there.

A victory by the Sabres will likely start a pretty solid celebration for a Buffalo franchise that has been waiting for this moment for much longer than anyone would’ve imagined.

The players surely have bigger dreams of just making the playoffs, but they’ll even recognize what this moment means to the fanbase.

So you can count on the Sabres coming out and playing inspired hockey on Thursday night. There’s a playoff spot to be seized.

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