Sabres Score 4 Goals in 8 Minutes, End 15-Year Playoff Drought

After waiting 5,473 days for playoff hockey to return to Buffalo, the Sabres made sure their fans' patience paid off in the most dramatic way possible.

The team scored four goals in the final eight minutes Sunday night to complete a stunning comeback against the Boston Bruins, winning 4-3 at KeyBank Center. The victory ended the NHL's longest playoff drought and gave Buffalo a 1-0 series lead.

Things looked bleak for the home team with just over eight minutes remaining in the third period. Boston led 2-0, and the raucous Buffalo crowd had quieted after watching their team struggle to break through against Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.

Then Team USA star Tage Thompson changed everything. He snuck around from behind the net and backhanded the puck past Swayman to cut the deficit in half.

Three and a half minutes later, Thompson struck again. He stole the puck from a Bruins defenseman right in front of the net and snapped it home to tie the game at 2-2, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Just 52 seconds later, while the public address announcer was still reading off Thompson's tying goal, defenseman Mattias Samuelsson ripped a shot from the slot to give Buffalo its first lead of the night. The building erupted.

"It was probably the loudest I've ever heard in my life," said Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. "The fans are the ones who have waited so long, and I'm really happy that we grinded out a win tonight."

The Ripple Effect

The comeback meant more than just one playoff win. The Sabres became only the eighth NHL team ever to rally from a two-goal deficit in the final 10 minutes and win in regulation.

For a city that last tasted playoff hockey in 2011, when they lost Game 7 to the Philadelphia Flyers, the victory represented years of frustration finally giving way to joy. Coach Lindy Ruff said he could feel the building shaking from the noise.

"The atmosphere was unbelievable," Ruff said. "It was great to give our fans that third period."

Thompson, who led the Sabres with 40 goals during the regular season, summed up what the moment meant to the players. "These are the kind of games you live for," he said.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Buffalo, where fans will pack KeyBank Center once again, now believing anything is possible.