(USA Today Network)
BSJ Live Coverage: Game 1 - Bruins at Sabres, 7:30 p.m. - Hagens will make playoff debut
WHO: First round, Game 1 - Bruins at Sabres
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: KeyBank Center, Buffalo.
TV: NESN/ESPN
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub
SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Today at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2: Tuesday at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday at Boston, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Sunday at Boston, 2 p.m.
Game 5: Tuesday, April 28 at Buffalo, TBD
Game 6: Friday, May 1, at Boston, TBD
Game 7: Sunday, May 3 at Buffalo, TBD
ROSTERS
PROJECTED LINES
Boston
Geekie-Lindholm-Pastrnak
Mittelstadt-Zacha-Arvidsson
Hagens-Minten-Khusnutdinov
Jeannot-Kuraly-Kastelic
Steeves-Reichel-Eyssimont
Aspirot-McAvoy
Lindholm-Lohrei
Zadorov-Peeke
Harris-Jokiharju
Swayman
Korpisalo
Buffalo
Krebs - Thompson - Tuch
Zucker - McLeod - Quinn
Benson - Norris-Doan
Greenway - Dunne - Malenstyn
Dahlin-Samuelsson
Byram-Power
Stanley-Timmins
Luukkonen
Lyon
Injured: Carrick, Danforth, Kulich, Ostlund
Scratched: Kesslering, Kozak, Ellis, Pearson, Schenn
PREGAME NOTES
• The Bruins visit the Sabres tonight for Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This marks the start of the ninth all-time playoff series between the two clubs, with Boston holding a 25-20 advantage in 45 postseason games.
• Boston (45-27-10) posted a 3-1-0 record in the club’s four regular-season games against Buffalo (50-23-9). Boston recorded two home victories with a 3-1 win on Oct. 11 and a 4-3 overtime win on Oct. 30, a 4-1 loss at Buffalo on Dec. 27, and a 4-3 overtime win at KeyBank Center on March 25.
• The Sabres are 5-5 in their last 10 playoff matchups with the Bruins; 8-2 at home. Buffalo is 13-8-0 at home against Boston in the playoffs all-time.
• The Sabres and Bruins last met in the playoffs in 2010, when the Bruins won the first-round matchup in six games.
• Buffalo has a record of 30-20 in Game 1s all-time, including a 5-3 record over Boston in the first game of a series.
• Tage Thompson led all Sabres skaters in points against Boston in 2025-26 (five, 0+5). Thompson has registered 17 points (9+8) in his last 16 games against Boston dating back to Jan. 1, 2022. He has registered four multi-point performances in his last seven meetings with the Bruins.
• Three Sabres skaters (Thompson, 1.25; Mattias Samuelsson, 1.00; Jason Zucker, 1.00) recorded at least one point per game played against the Bruins this season. Zucker’s three goals against Boston were the most among all Buffalo skaters in 2025-26. In his career, Zucker has recorded more goals (10) and points (19) than any Sabres skater against the Bruins.
• Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen posted a 1-0-1 record, a .907 save percentage and a 2.49 goals-against average against the Bruins this season.
• Luke Schenn (four games) and Alex Lyon (three games) are the only Sabres players who have appeared in a playoff game against Boston in their career. In those games, Lyon recorded a .902 save percentage (83 saves on 92 shots).
• The Bruins have five players making their playoff debuts: James Hagens, Fraser Minten, Marat Khusnutdinov, Jonathan Aspirot and Mark Kastelic.