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<\/p>\nFILE – St. Louis Blues left wing Dylan Holloway, left, celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks on April 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Gregory Bull, File)<\/p>\n
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BOSTON (AP) \u2014 Rasmus Dahlin arrived in Buffalo as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NHL draft wanting to be part of the revival for a city rabid about a Sabres team that hadn’t been to playoffs in the six years before his arrival.<\/p>\n
Eight seasons later, he not only finally helped the Sabres get back there, but was a key factor in the franchise winning its first postseason series in almost two decades. <\/p>\n
Buffalo’s 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Friday night wrapped up a 4-2 series victory, securing it a spot in the second round for the first time since 2007. <\/p>\n
As the final seconds ticked off the scoreboard, Dahlin took a few extra moments to let it all sink in. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was unreal,\u201d said Dahlin, who had a goal and three assists in the series. \u201cI like how we attacked this series as a team. A lot of experienced guys. Playing the way we did all series, it\u2019s pretty cool. We have good things ahead. We can learn a lot from this.”<\/p>\n
What’s ahead is a matchup with either Montreal or Tampa Bay after the Lightning\u2019s 1-0 overtime road win Friday night to force a Game 7.<\/p>\n
After watching his team endure the disappointment of a Game 5 overtime loss at home, coach Lindy Ruff could tell they were a little uneasy. After all, Buffalo\u2019s entered that game with a lineup that didn\u2019t have a lot of experience, with just 10 players having previously appeared in an outing with a chance to eliminate an opponent. <\/p>\n
But Ruff made his team a promise. <\/p>\n
\u201cI told them, \u2018We\u2019re going to win the game.’ I told them, \u2018We\u2019re going to win the series,'” Ruff said. “We’ve got to do some things better, but we are going to win the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friday’s win marked the second time in franchise history that the Sabres have won their first three road contests of a playoff year. They last did it in 1983 at Montreal (two games) and Boston (one game).<\/p>\n
For other veteran players like Alex Tuch, there are loftier goals on his mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me it\u2019s been five long years of waiting for something special to happen. We\u2019re hoping it\u2019s just the start,\u201d he said. We\u2019re one round into the playoffs and in our eyes we haven\u2019t done anything yet. … We\u2019re hoping it\u2019s a long road ahead for us. It\u2019s going to be a grind each and every day and we\u2019re going to have to be ready for it.\u201d <\/p>\n
Goaltender Alex Lyon played in five of the six games in the series, one more than he did when he was with Florida during the 2022-23 season when it lost to Las Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n
He allowed just five total goals in his appearances in the series with the Bruins. It is the fewest goals allowed in any five-game span in the playoffs by a Sabres netminder ever.<\/p>\n
Lyon believes this team’s youth is becoming a positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re learning every game. That’s kind of what’s bonded us,\u201d Lyon said. \u201cI find that we’re just learning how to handle different situations and kind of learning on the fly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruff\u2019s only regret is that the Sabres\u2019 home fans couldn\u2019t watch them clinch this series on home ice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWould have really liked this game to be in Buffalo,\u201d Ruff said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t. But it would have been special to have this game there.\u201d<\/p>\n
AP NHL: https:\/\/apnews.com\/NHL<\/p>\n
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) congratulates Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) after the Sabres eliminated the Bruins from the playoffs following Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo\/Charles Krupa)<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n
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