The Sabres have performed their well beyond the speak of magic numbers and out-of-town assist. Now, the maths is straightforward: Win, and they’re in.
Buffalo visits the Ottawa Senators on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Canadian Tire Centre, the place a win of any sort would safe the Sabres’ first Stanley Cup Playoffs berth since 2011.
This dominant run started practically 4 months in the past, and in final place within the Eastern Conference. Buffalo has gone 35-7-4 since Dec. 9, together with two straight wins after final week’s 0-1-2 tough patch, to attain 100 factors on the season. As a outcome, the Sabres are gearing up for late-April hockey, whereas division rivals just like the Senators are simply clawing to keep within the wild card race.
“We’ve got to treat it as any other game,” Rasmus Dahlin mentioned. “It’s a division game, so it’s gonna be a playoff-type hockey game. But we can’t overthink it.”
The Sabres have received each matchups this season in opposition to the Senators, who’ve allowed 14 targets throughout a three-game winless streak. Those particulars, plus Buffalo’s stellar highway document, imply Thursday might go down as a memorable night time in franchise lore.
Here are the main points earlier than puck drop.
Note: Buffalo would additionally clinch Thursday with an OT/SO loss, a PHI win over DET and a CAR win over CBJ.
