Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Over the course of the 2025-26 Buffalo Sabres season, we’ll be looking back after every five games (in this case, seven), inspired by head coach Lindy Ruff’s philosophy of gaining six points out of a possible 10 in every five-game stretch. We will recap the previous segment of games, and share some thoughts on what was seen on the ice.
Game 1 - Sabres Win Rematch with Lightning
The Sabres opened this 5-game set with a highly anticipated rematch with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The stakes were high as Buffalo sat just 2 points behind Tampa Bay for first in the Atlantic Division, and the energy was there to match. After the 8-7 barn burner in early March, the whole league's eyes were set on this Monday night matchup in Buffalo.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 6: Darren Raddysh #43 of the Tampa Bay Lightning shoots the puck against Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen #1 of the Buffalo Sabres during the third period of an NHL game at KeyBank Center on April 6, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo won, 4-2. Photo by Joe Hrycych/Getty Images
After a poor powerplay from both teams to start the first period, Alex Tuch stepped out of the box and led a quick transition where he snaked into some open ice in the slot and wired a snap shot by the Lightning’s Hall of Fame goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy for a 1-0 Sabres lead 5:42 in.
After the Sabres took an extra penalty in a scrum in the Lightning zone, Nikita Kucherov scored off a slick pass from Jake Guentzel to tie things up. The tie wouldn’t last long though, as Josh Norris took advantage of a great screen from Zach Benson and beat Vasilevskiy on the short side at 14:04.
Guentzel made the Sabres pay for a failed exit by Logan Stanley and Peyton Krebs early in the second when he wired a shot over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s shoulder to bring the game to a 2-2 tie. Once again the Sabres stole the lead back quickly, this time Jason Zucker tipped in a point shot from Bowen Byram and the Sabres entered the second intermission with a 3-2 lead.
Now the Sabres were determined to defend their lead, and their strategy shifted. They took a more defensive minded approach, one they have shown to be capable of executing throughout this impressive season. They slowed Tampa down, forcing them to the outside and eliminating almost every opportunity to attack the net. The Lightning were unable to generate any significant offense as the Sabres suffocated the game. Jack Quinn potted a late empty netter to seal it up at 4-2 and the Sabres fans went berserk, as they had all night.
This was a crucial win for the Sabres to get back into the right mindset headed down the stretch. After clinching the playoffs they seemed to ease off the gas, just enough to cost them a few points and tighten up the race for the Atlantic. This game forced them out of any sense of complacency and got them back to their winning habits.
The 3rd pairing of Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley made their first appearance in some time, no doubt in preparation for some gritty business from the Lightning considering the last matchup. The pair's presence seemed to be enough to keep the post whistle antics to a minimum. After a couple first period scrums, one of which involving both Schenn and Stanley, the Lightning seemed to avoid the physical intimidation they’ve become known for.
The fourth line of Jordan Greenway, Beck Malenstyn, and Josh Dunne also had a strong showing. When Lindy Ruff has an energy line that is capable of dominating shifts on the forecheck, and can be trusted to eat some defensive zone time, his teams are able to operate at full capacity. It will be interesting to track what Ruff decides his best lineup looks like ahead of playoffs, he has a lot of options at the bottom of the lineup.
Game 2 - Sabres Take Care of Business in New York
The Sabres moved into a tie with the Lightning for 1st in the Atlantic with their 5-3 win over Tampa Bay, and looked to continue their winning ways in New York against the Rangers.
The Sabres jumped out to another early lead when Ryan McLeod snuck one through Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin just 3:40 into the game. Seeing McLeod shoot the puck made everyone who watches Sabres hockey, including his coach, happy as he’s been passing up far too many grade A scoring chances looking to dish the puck off.
Benson added to the Sabres lead a few minutes later when Rasmus Dahlin smartly banked a point shot off him and into the net. It was an impressive start for the Sabres but the 2-0 lead didn’t survive the 1st period. The Sabres were sloppy with the puck for the entire period, making poor decisions leaving Luukkonen in bad spots a handful of times. They nearly escaped without paying for their careless play, but in the final minute of the period on a Rangers powerplay Adam Fox sent a beautiful shot pass down to Alexis Lafreniere, who redirected it into the top corner of the net to cut the Sabres lead in half.
New York took over at the start of the 2nd period, Lafreniere wired one over Luukkonen on a breakaway just 2:57 in. Then Fox potted a power play goal of his own to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead with 5:16 to go in the 2nd.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 08: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen #1 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 08, 2026 in New York City. The Sabres defeated the Rangers 5-3. Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
The Sabres needed a big 3rd period to stay alive in the race for the top spot in the Atlantic, and Tuch got them going 5:51 in when he got a piece of a shot from Krebs. It was an off bounce, but it kept the momentum and Zucker stole the lead back just a couple minutes later with a tenacious finish at the side of the net. McLeod threw the puck to the net from up high, and Zucker collected the rebound and beat Shesterkin to take a 4-3 lead.
Benson added the empty netter late as Buffalo dominated the entire 3rd, only allowing the Rangers 1 shot on net and banking a huge 2 points.
This was a classic Sabres win, exemplifying the full range of emotions this team can inspire. They roared out to an impressive lead to start, showing off their speed and skill. Then some careless puck play and bad reads let the opposition creep back in, only for Buffalo’s relentless heart to prevail in the end.
The Sabres ability to adjust and find ways to win continues to be impressive, and is a testament to the players commitment to doing what they know is required to win. That reflects well on both the coaching staff and leadership of the team, as if we needed any more proof of the impact of both Dahlin and Ruff.
Game 3 - Ellis Shines with Shutout Over Blue Jackets
The Sabres returned home to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second half of their back-to-back as they looked to continue their winning ways and continue chasing down the top spot in the Atlantic.
Colten Ellis made his first start in months in this game after Alex Lyon tweaked an injury in the morning skate the day prior. Coming in with so few live game reps can be a real challenge for a netminder, especially a learning goaltender like Ellis. This combined with the second game in as many days with some travel made for a tough situation for the Sabres.
The Sabres ability to strike quickly off transitions shined again early when Krebs wired a snap shot underneath Blue Jacket’s goalie Jet Greaves’ blocker to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead 13:41 in.
It was a goalie battle for a stretch from there, with both Greaves and Ellis being called on to make some huge saves to keep the game close. Columbus carried play in the 2nd period outshooting the Sabres 14-4, but Ellis played the best period of his young NHL career and was able to hold the Sabres 1-0 lead.
The Sabres stuck with their game and rewarded Ellis with some goal support in the 3rd period. Josh Doan got it started with an impressive backcheck that allowed him to strip the puck off a rushing Columbus player, turn around and fire a shot by Greaves to give the Sabres a cushion 7:19 into the final frame.
Then Stanley fired a gorgeous seam pass on a rush over to Quinn, who made no mistake and fired it over Greaves’ outstretched glove to make it 3-0 with 6:39 to go. Doan potted another just :25 seconds later finishing off yet another great setup from Benson. Dahlin scored a long-range empty netter after a flurry of blocked shots and brought the game to its final score of 5-0.
Ellis recorded his first career shutout with 37 saves in a difficult situation, showing off his high ceiling and competitive nature. While Ellis is the Sabres definite third goalie at this point, at 25 years old it’s certainly possible he could hit his stride and become a full time NHL netminder. He is clearly well liked by his team. Their commitment to blocking shots and playing hard defense to ensure Ellis kept the shutout through the end of the game was a clear sign of their respect for him and the work he’s done this year.
Buffalo’s flurry of goals in the third period is a good example of the Sabres ability to score in bunches and take over games. They have the capability to score in a number of ways, whether it be like the first Doan goal where a hard backcheck leads directly to offense, or his second which was created through the low cycle and a surgical backdoor pass. The trust they have in their game allows them to stay patient and committed to their process, and they are rewarded more often than not.
These were a big pair of points for Buffalo in the Atlantic Division race, and with some help on the out of town scoreboard Buffalo could clinch the top spot in the division with a win in Chicago on Monday night and earn the right to rest some bodies in their 82nd game of the year.
Game 4 - Sabres Clip Blackhawks Wings
The Sabres picked up another win on their final road trip of the season by handily defeating a struggling Blackhawks team 5-1 to reach 108 points, which by the end of the night was enough to officially win the Atlantic Division.
It was not an ideal start for Buffalo though. Chicago jumped out to a 1-0 lead just 3:58 in when Ryan Greene converted on a short handed 2-on-1. Buffalo’s power play has fallen into a rut, and they decided to test out a new look with Quinn on the blue line and Dahlin on the flank. Things obviously did not get off to a great start thanks to a poor decision by Dahlin that led to the odd man rush.
The Sabres worked themselves into the game over the course of a low-event 1st period, and with less than a minute left Norris shot one by Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight after a good pinch forced a Chicago turnover and Doan made a great seam pass.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 13: Josh Norris #9 of the Buffalo Sabres shoots and scores during the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on April 13, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images
Tage Thompson scored the lone goal of a solid 2nd period when he stripped a puck off a Blackhawks defenseman and found himself alone in front. He displayed some serious patience and skill outwaiting Knight and sliding it into his 5-hole as soon as it opened up. Despite only scoring one goal, the Sabres were far more dangerous than their opposition in the middle frame.
The chances the Sabres were generating finally came through in the 3rd period. Just over 5:00 in, a quick up from Stanley found Dahlin who zipped a stretch pass right onto Tuch’s stick. Tuch split the Chicago defenders and buried a nice shot on a breakaway to make it 3-1.
Then it was Thompson’s turn to be fed by Dahlin. This time the captain took some prime ice in the slot before he found Thompson winding up for a one-timer and dished it over. Thompson hammered home his 40th goal of the season and the Sabres stretched their lead.
Buffalo had one more tic-tac-toe play in the bank before games end as Benson carried the puck through the middle, made a nice give-and-go play with Power and dished it to McLeod who fired it into the empty net.
The goal scoring in the 3rd popped for the second game in a row, though these displayed a bit more of the ultra-high skill the Sabres possess up and down the lineup. The plays they made, especially on the 4th and 5th goals, are scoring chances no goalie on the planet will be able to stop with any kind of consistency. This type of infallible offense should give the team confidence they can beat any goaltender they come up against.
Winning the Atlantic Division after being in the position they were in early December is one of the more impressive mid-season turnarounds ever seen in the league. Especially when you consider the type of pressure this organization has been under for years to find success. That kind of pressure bleeds down, and the players no doubt felt it. Their ability to shoulder that weight, and overcome it in such an outstanding manner is a truly great story.
Game 5 - Stars Edge Out Sabres in a Shootout
The Sabres entered the final game of their regular season with nothing on the line, and with that understanding did not dress their full lineup. Thompson, Dahlin, Samuelsson, Zucker and McLeod all got the night off in preparation for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Despite the Sabres preseason-esque lineup, they carried the majority of play in the first period after giving up an early goal to Maverik Bourque who Zach Metsa lost at the side of the net following a point shot that rattled off the end boards.
Norris evened the score with a missile of a wrist shot after a rush entry that beat Stars netminder Jake Oettinger over the far shoulder 12:48 into the first.
Benson continued his hot streak early in an action packed 2nd period when he made a quick move on a short handed breakaway to open up a hole under Oettinger’s arm and make it 2-1 Sabres. Dallas was able to tie the game shortly after though when Stanley deflected in a back door pass from Esa Lindell.
Tuch struck next when he banked a shot in off Oettinger’s backside and in after Tanner Pearson won a battle behind the net. Justin Hryckowian answered for the Stars at 16:00 when he slipped a shot underneath Ellis on a 2-on-1. This was the first goal of the night Ellis should’ve stopped and it led to a tie game headed into the 3rd period.
It was the Ellis show in the 3rd period as the Sabres struggled to find their game, and leaned on their young netminder to keep things tied up. He did the job and got the Sabres into the 3-on-3 overtime period. It was another dreadfully boring overtime with just 2 shots on goal, both from the Sabres, so the game headed to the shootout.
Ellis struggled in the shootout, giving up 2 goals on 3 shots which cost the Sabres the extra point in overtime as the Stars came out on top 4-3.
While it wasn’t the prettiest 3rd period, the fact that the Sabres were this competitive with another top end contender with the majority of their firepower in suits is very impressive. The most critical part of this 82nd regular season game was health, and both teams came out clean.
Otherwise there wasn’t much to take away from the game with both teams understanding the points didn’t matter either way. Both Dallas and Buffalo now shift their focus to their first-round opponents as the playoffs are on the way.
Highlight Players
Zach Benson has long been known as a player who will do all the little things right and impact the game in many ways, but may never shine on the scoresheet like a star. Benson proved he can do all that, and find his way to the raw point production too. Benson recorded at least a point in every game of this set, scoring 3 goals and 4 assists, and playing some solid defense as well. If Benson can stay hot headed into the playoffs it would be a huge boost to an already dangerous Sabres lineup.
Rasmus Dahlin kept up his impressive play, leading the team at both ends of the ice and in the locker room. Dahlin played 4 games, getting the Stars night off for rest, and scored 1 goal and 4 assists and rocking a +12. Dahlin is the beating heart of this Sabres team, and he is a purpose built playoff defenseman. At 6'3” and 200+ pounds with a nasty streak, all-world skating, and heaps of creativity Dahlin could be one of the most exciting defenseman to watch in the entire playoffs.
Josh Norris also heated up in a big way in this set with 3 goals and 3 assists. Norris brings value all over the ice as a solid defensive center and a great player in transition, but as the Sabres highest paid forward he needed to bring a bit more production. For a good stretch after the Olympic break he looked hesitant to shoot and snake-bitten around the net, but his 3 goals in this set were all impressive shots. Similar to Benson, if he heats up in the playoffs the Sabres may become an even more potent offensive machine.
Sabres Take 9-of-10 Points
Buffalo followed up a bumpy stretch of play in the previous segment with a strong 5-game set that earned them a 4-0-1 record and 9-out-of-10 points in the standings and an Atlantic Division banner to hang. It was another lesson in this team’s well rounded nature and ability to step up in big moments and get the job done. The Tampa game to open this set was as high-pressure a situation as you can have outside of the NHL playoffs, and the Sabres stepped up and took out a team with a handful of Hall of Famers. This surely inspires confidence in the room that these guys can overcome whatever the game throws at them, and it will surely start hurling in the playoffs. Now it’s time for Buffalo to have its moment, the return of playoff hockey. The city has been ready, and now the team has shown they are too.
