Buffalo Sabres rally to stun Boston Bruins for first playoff win in 15 years
April 20 (UPI) -- The Buffalo Sabres scored four consecutive times in the third period to rally past the Boston Bruins and earn their first playoff victory in 15 years.
Sabres fans bounced in their seats as they watched a trio of goals in a span of just 4:34 as part of the rally in Game 1 of the first-round Eastern Conference series Sunday in Buffalo, N.Y. Forward Tage Thompson scored twice in the 4-3 comeback triumph at KeyBank Center.
"I think we have been in situations all season that have prepared us for games like this," Thompson told reporters. "It's another level and the intensity ramps up, but we've been in situations where we've been behind in games and found our way out of them. When you do that, you get confidence.
"When you are in similar situations, you know you can do it again."
The victory was the Sabres' first since they beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on April 22, 2011.
"The last thing you want is regret," Thompson said. "It was a heightened feeling of hunger, and we didn't want to let this opportunity slip."
Forward Alex Tuch scored the Sabres' final third-period score and assisted Thompson's second goal, which tied the game. Thompson also recorded an assist. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen logged 17 saves.
Forwards Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak scored for the Bruins. Geekie and Pastrnak logged two assists apiece. Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman totaled 34 saves.
Geekie lit the lamp 10:52 into the first period for a 1-0 Bruins lead. Neither team scored for the remainder of the first frame, or in the second period. Lindholm doubled the Bruins lead by beating Luukkonen 68 seconds into the third period.
The Sabres surged about 11 minutes later. Thompson sparked the comeback with a wraparound score at the right post. He ripped a wrist shot past Swaymann's glove side less than four minutes later to tie the score at 2-2.
Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson gave the Sabres their first lead when he smoked another wrist shot by Swaymann with 3:24 remaining. Tuch provided insurance when he scored on an empty net with 72 seconds remaining.
Pastrnak scored the game's final goal off a power play in the final seconds.
"As a group we felt, once we cracked them, we could roll from there," Samuelsson said.
The Sabres will host the Bruins in Game 2 at 7:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Buffalo. Game 3 will be Thursday in Boston.
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