Defeated Sabres proud of franchise's 'giant step'
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- Buffalo Sabres ended a 14‑season playoff drought by winning a series for the first time since 2007, defeating the Boston Bruins in Round 1 before losing 3‑2 in overtime to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7.
- Buffalo Sabres outshot Montreal 39‑25, rallied from a two‑goal deficit in the first period, but a whistle nullified a potential Beck Malenstyn goal and Alex Newhook’s overtime strike sealed the loss.
- Rasmus Dahlin posted 14 postseason points—the third‑most by a Sabres defenseman in franchise history—and lamented the defeat, saying “F---ing sucks.”
- Ukko‑Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 of 25 shots in Game 7, yet the winning goal slipped past him after a screen, and he described the moment as “it just kind of boils down to that moment, and it sucks.”
- Buffalo Sabres now hold a 1‑7 all‑time Game 7 record, the second‑worst winning percentage in league history, and have lost six of their past seven overtime playoff games.
Why it matters: The Sabres' Game 7 loss ends their season, denying Buffalo the economic boost of further home playoff games and extending the franchise's historically poor Game‑7 record, which could dampen fan enthusiasm and sponsor interest.
