The matchup is set: Sabres to meet Boston Bruins in Round 1

HipKat · Wednesday at 5:01 AM

The Bruins are the team I hoped we wouldn't have to play first. They just seem to be a team that the Sabres have historically struggled against

HipKat · Wednesday at 5:06 AM

The Athletic: Bruins vs. Sabres: 4 reasons the NHL playoff matchup could favor Boston

Bruins vs. Sabres: 4 reasons the NHL playoff matchup could favor Boston

The Bruins clinched a first-round matchup against the Sabres with Tuesday's win over the Devils.

www.nytimes.com

Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie and Charlie McAvoy are pictured celebrating a goal against the Sabres.

Pavel Zacha, Morgan Geekie and Charlie McAvoy celebrate a goal against the Sabres. Maddie Meyer / Getty Images

The Boston Bruins will play the Buffalo Sabres in Round 1 after securing the No. 1 wild card with a 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. It is the more favorable matchup for the Bruins than the Carolina Hurricanes, who were their other possible opponent.

The Bruins went 3-1-0 against the Sabres during the regular season. They were 1-1-1 against the Hurricanes.

“We played them early on — I think it was the third game or something — and they were still the same Buffalo Sabres,” coach Marco Sturm said. “Very talented. Could have gone either way. They gambled a lot. It kind of looked that way that it was going to be the same season again. All of a sudden, they figured it out. I think now they’re for real. They play better defensively. They are structured better. All the talent they collected in the past, all of a sudden, came to shine. That was the difference. Why did it happen at a certain time? I don’t know. But I think this team is for real now. They know how to win. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be a good test. But also, a lot of players on their side have never been in that situation. So we have to take advantage of that.”

Here are four reasons the Bruins could still be playing into the second round:

1. Goaltending favors the Bruins

Jeremy Swayman entered the regular-season finale with 26.4 goals saved above expected, per MoneyPuck, second-highest after Logan Thompson (29.2). Swayman has 20 postseason appearances, including 12 in 2023-24. Swayman was the Bruins’ best player in Round 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs that year.

“We talk about 100 points, there were a lot of games we were lucky,” Sturm said. “But he was the reason why, and (Joonas Korpisalo) as well … Our goaltending was outstanding. You can look at special teams, this and that. But our goaltending was absolutely outstanding. They were a big reason why we went that far.”

The ace dipped at the end. Swayman let in a stoppable shot against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 4. He was pulled in his next start against the Carolina Hurricanes after allowing five goals. He lost at home against the Lightning.

Swayman was back to his usual self against the Devils. He stopped all 21 shots for his second shutout.

“We put together a really good regular season,” Swayman said. “Ups and downs, no matter what came our way, we just stayed in the moment, believed in ourselves, and got results. That’s something we can definitely carry with us going into the postseason.”

“It’s important to have a good game, feeling good again going into it,” Sturm said before Tuesday’s game. “That would definitely help.”

In comparison, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo’s likely Game 1 starter, was at 10.5 GSAx as of Tuesday. He has never played a playoff game.

Not only that, Luukkonen had been sharing the net with Alex Lyon during the regular season. Lyon has been out with a lower-body injury. If something happens to Luukkonen, the Sabres will have to turn to rookie Colten Ellis.

2. The Bruins could balance out their lines

The Bruins will start the playoffs with their most offensively tilted No. 1 line: Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm, and David Pastrnak. The Sabres will most likely counter with Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson. Buffalo’s top pair is a handful at both ends. They could very well blunt the first line’s firepower.

If Sturm sees Dahlin and Samuelsson having too much of a defensive impact, he could break up his first line. The likeliest Plan B would put Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten on the top line with Pastrnak, jacking up the unit’s speed and puck-pursuit ability. If the Sabres keep the Dahlin-Pastrnak matchup, this could free up Geekie and Lindholm for third-line chances, perhaps with James Hagens as their left wing.

As for Hagens, the rookie looked more comfortable against the Devils than he did in his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He played with pace on the third line. When Pavel Zacha left after the first period because of a family matter, Hagens even played some center. The 19-year-old looks ready to dress in Game 1.

3. The No. 2 line could produce chances off the counterattack

Sturm has been happy with the defensive performances of Casey Mittelstadt, Zacha, and Viktor Arvidsson. It’s possible he could use the second line against Buffalo’s No. 1 line of Peyton Krebs, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch. Thompson will get his looks because of his size and skill. But Zacha is a credible defensive center.

With Zacha leading the defensive charge, the Bruins could turn matchup situations into rushes the other way. They have been opportunistic in forcing turnovers and initiating odd-man breakouts. Arvidsson’s speed, in particular, could cause problems for the backtracking Sabres.

4. The fourth line will be nasty in the playoffs

Sean Kuraly exploded for a three-point performance against the Columbus Blue Jackets, his former team, in Game 81. Mark Kastelic scored twice against New Jersey to finish with a career-best 12 goals. Kastelic and Tanner Jeannot will be eager to smash everybody in an enemy jersey.

“I was sitting at nine for a while,” Kastelic said. “To get double digits is a good step for me. I still think I have a lot of room for improvement throughout my career. Just trying to trend upward every season. To get 10, it feels good. But it feels better that we’re in the playoffs.”

sukie · Wednesday at 6:58 AM

Bruins we will endure a beating not seen since Schoenfeld removed Cashman’s smile.

sukie · Wednesday at 7:03 AM

swiper · 2026-04-16T17:47:10-0500

Geekie has been a strong surprise for the Bruins. He disappointed before coming to Boston. Pasternak is a behemoth. Lindholm scares no one. The rest of the roster (aside from Charlie McAvoy) scare no one also.

Their 4th line doesn't incite fear either. While the jury is out on the new Buffalo GM, I must say he did a good job at bringing in size at the trade deadline. I never watched Schenn through his career. And seeing him now, despite his age, is impressive at how he handles himself on the ice. Greenway is back. Malenstein is big and feisty. The Sabres won't be afraid of anyone.

sukie · 2026-04-16T19:04:16-0500

If only Power realized he ISN’T Nathan Gerbe

HipKat · 2026-04-17T05:08:05-0500

swiper said:
Geekie has been a strong surprise for the Bruins. He disappointed before coming to Boston. Pasternak is a behemoth. Lindholm scares no one. The rest of the roster (aside from Charlie McAvoy) scare no one also.

Their 4th line doesn't incite fear either. While the jury is out on the new Buffalo GM, I must say he did a good job at bringing in size at the trade deadline. I never watched Schenn through his career. And seeing him now, despite his age, is impressive at how he handles himself on the ice. Greenway is back. Malenstein is big and feisty. The Sabres won't be afraid of anyone.

One thing I noticed even before the deadline, the Sabres have gotten much bigger over the last two years

The matchup is set: Sabres to meet Boston Bruins in Round 1