BUFFALO, NY -- The Boston Bruins (0-1) coughed up a multi-goal third-period lead and lost to the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 (1-0) on Sunday night inside the KeyBank Center in Game 1 of the first round.
Boston led 2-0 with eight minutes to go in the game. Then, two straight turnovers and lost puck battles behind the net changed the game.
Boston lost 4-3 in regulation falling behind 1-0 in the series.
Tage Thompson scored two straight goals to tie the game. One came after Charlie McAvoy and Jonathan Aspirot lost a net battle behind the net. The second came after Andrew Peeke was bodied and outmuscled off the puck by Alex Tuch behind the net, a brutal turnover.
52 seconds later, Matias Samuelsson fired home the game-winning goal with under four minutes to go. Tuch buried the empty netter.
The high-energy, extremely rowdy Buffalo crowd finally got to experience playoff hockey for the first time in 15 years.
THE SABRES TAKE THE LEAD! THE CROWD IS ELECTRIC RIGHT NOW! #STANLEYCUP PLAYOFFS HOCKEY IS SO BACK IN BUFFALO! ๐คฉ๐บ๐ธ: @espn๐จ๐ฆ: @Sportsnet & @TVASports pic.twitter.com/PjgE4krl4k
The Bruins knew a storm would be coming, and did weather it early.
Morgan Geekie opened the scoring in the first period, polishing off an excellent rush play from the Bruins. Boston then dealt with waves and waves of pressure, carrying a 1-0 lead into the third period.
Boston's top line struck again just 68 seconds into the third period, with what felt like a huge insurance marker, courtesy of Elias Lindholm.
Then, in the final eight minutes of the third period, it all disappeared. Buffalo scored once, and the floodgates burst.
Buffalo scored four times 6:46, a stunning reversal.
Jeremy Swayman, who played phenomenally early, ran out of gas late after brutal defensive zone turnovers. He made 34 saves in defeat.
The crowd could not be any louder to kick off this game. The first playoff game in this city in 15 years, and all that pent-up energy came spilling out. Chants of "Boston Sucks" and jeers of "Sway-man" dominated early.
But, the Bruins ensured as low-event a hockey as possible for the first few minutes. They clogged the neutral zone, making it impossible for Buffalo to generate offense as they usually do.
Boston then kicked off their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs campaign with an incredible line rush and eventual finish.
GEEKS GETS IT STARTED ๐ pic.twitter.com/SrfZidVIsm
Nikita Zadorov started it up, rushing forward with speed. Then he found David Pastrnak, who then tried a shot.
Buffalo blocked the shot, but the puck caromed to the middle. Elias Lindholm threw himself into Ryan McLeod, creating enough separation for Geekie to rifle home the game's opening tally.
Then, a special teams battle began in earnest. Three separate penalties would be called in the back half of the period, two on Buffalo and one on Boston.