NHL· Season 2025
Buffalo scored three goals in 4:34 in the third to stun Boston 4:3 in Game 1. Thompson notched two; Sabres rallied from 2-0 down for first playoff win since 2011.
Match Videos
Player Ratings
1.0 – 10.0Tage Thompson
Two goals (12:02 and 15:44 of the third) and an assist — the spark of a 4:34 three-goal Sabres comeback that saved Buffalo's first playoff game in 14 years.
Alex Tuch
Primary assist on Thompson's tying goal, plus an empty-net dagger at 18:30 of the third.
Mattias Samuelsson
Game-winning goal 52 seconds after Thompson's tying strike — capped one of the wildest 4:34 swings in modern NHL playoff history.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
17 saves in his playoff debut — including a pair of breakaway stops on Pastrnak that kept Boston's lead at two goals heading into the comeback.
Match Analysis
AI SummarySabres' 4:34 Comeback Stuns Bruins. Buffalo Wins First Playoff Game Since 2011
Tage Thompson scored twice in the third period and the Buffalo Sabres scored three goals in a 4:34 span to rally past the Boston Bruins 4-3 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round at KeyBank Center on Sunday — Buffalo's first playoff game in 14 years.
Buffalo Sabres – Boston Bruins 4:3 (0:1, 0:0, 4:2)
Goals: 52:02 Thompson (Krebs), 55:44 Thompson (Tuch), 56:36 Samuelsson (Quinn), 58:30 Tuch (EN) – 10:52 Geekie (Pastrnak, Zadorov), 41:08 Lindholm (Geekie, Pastrnak), 59:14 Pastrnak (Zacha, Geekie, PP).
Goalies: Luukkonen (17 saves) – Swayman (34 saves).
/series: 1-0 BUF/
Boston Builds the Lead
Morgan Geekie put Boston up 1-0 at 10:52 of the first from David Pastrnak and Nikita Zadorov on a clean entry. The middle frame stayed scoreless thanks to a strong goalie battle, and Elias Lindholm appeared to break it open at 1:08 of the third on a feed from Geekie and Pastrnak. Through 41 minutes, Boston led 2-0 and Buffalo's first playoff game since 2011 was slipping away.
Thompson Sparks the Storm
Tage Thompson struck at 12:02 of the third from Peyton Krebs to make it 2-1. Three minutes and 42 seconds later, at 15:44, Thompson tied it from Alex Tuch — and 52 seconds after that, at 16:36, Mattias Samuelsson buried a Jack Quinn feed for a 3-2 Buffalo lead. Three goals in 4:34. The KeyBank Center crowd, missing playoff hockey for 14 years, exploded.
Tuch Seals It, Pastrnak's Late Power Play Falls Short
With Boston pressing and the net empty, Tuch added an empty-net goal at 18:30 to give the Sabres a 4-2 cushion. David Pastrnak's power-play goal at 19:14 came too late — the result was Buffalo 4, Boston 3, and a comeback for the franchise's record book.
Luukkonen's Calm Playoff Debut
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made just 17 saves but they were the right ones — including a pair of breakaway stops on Pastrnak that kept the deficit at 2-0 rather than 3-0 entering the comeback. Boston coach Marco Sturm summed up the loss: "That's playoffs. That's something we have to learn again the hard way." Thompson, asked about the moment: "There's just a heightened feeling of hunger. You just don't want to let this opportunity slip."
What It Means
Buffalo wins its first playoff game since April 26, 2011 — and joins an exclusive list as just the eighth team in NHL postseason history to win in regulation after trailing by multiple goals in the final 10 minutes of the third period. Game 2 stays in Buffalo, with Boston needing to find a way to close out games it dominates for 50 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins Game 1?
Buffalo Sabres won 4-3 at KeyBank Center on April 19, 2026 — their first playoff win since 2011.
How did Buffalo come back from 2-0 down?
Buffalo scored three goals in 4:34 of game time in the third period: Thompson at 12:02, Thompson at 15:44, and Samuelsson at 16:36.
Who scored for Buffalo?
Tage Thompson (twice in the third), Mattias Samuelsson and Alex Tuch (empty net).
Who scored for Boston?
Morgan Geekie (1st), Elias Lindholm (3rd) and David Pastrnak (3rd, power play).
How rare is a comeback like this in NHL playoff history?
Buffalo became just the eighth team in NHL postseason history to win in regulation after trailing by multiple goals in the final 10 minutes of the third period.
What is the series status after Game 1?
Buffalo leads the best-of-seven Eastern Conference First Round series 1-0; Game 2 stays at KeyBank Center.
Match Events
N. Zadorov
Hooking
Cross-checking
Holding
Holding
Holding
D. Pastrnak
Slashing
Roughing
Roughing
Roughing
Roughing
Empty net
Tripping
Power-play
Match Summary
Buffalo Sabres defeated Boston Bruins 4:3. The match was played in NHL 2025. Goals were scored by M. Geekie 10′, E. Lindholm 1′, T. Thompson 12′, T. Thompson 15′, M. Samuelsson 16′, A. Tuch 18′, D. Pastrnak 19′. Score by period: P1: 0–1, P2: 0–0, P3: 4–2.
Match Context
Stanley Cup Playoffs — Eastern Conference First Round, Game 1
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round at KeyBank Center, Buffalo's first playoff game since April 26, 2011.
Pre-Match Analysis
Buffalo Sabres Form
The Sabres made the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 season — a 14-year drought ended.
Boston Bruins Form
Boston entered as the higher seed but lost a 2-0 third-period lead at KeyBank Center.
Head to Head
Atlantic Division rivals; first ever postseason meeting since the 1990s.
Match Report
Morgan Geekie put Boston ahead 1-0 at 10:52 of the first from David Pastrnak and Nikita Zadorov. Elias Lindholm extended the lead to 2-0 at 1:08 of the third from Geekie and Pastrnak. The home crowd thought it was over — but Tage Thompson sparked a comeback at 12:02 from Peyton Krebs, then tied it 2-2 at 15:44 from Alex Tuch. Mattias Samuelsson made it 3-2 just 52 seconds later at 16:36 from Jack Quinn. Alex Tuch added an empty-netter at 18:30. David Pastrnak scored late at 19:14 on a power play from Pavel Zacha and Geekie, but it was too late — Buffalo had its first playoff win since 2011, with three goals in 4:34 of game time.
Turning Point
Thompson's tying goal at 15:44 of the third. Boston had answered Thompson's earlier strike with composure, but the second Thompson goal — and Samuelsson's 52-second follow-up — flipped the entire complexion of the night.
Buffalo wins its first playoff game since 2011 and takes a 1-0 series lead. The Sabres became the eighth team in NHL postseason history to win in regulation after trailing by multiple goals in the final 10 minutes of the third period.
Rivalry since 2016
Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins Head to Head Results· 50
Recent Meetings
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 15 May 2026