The Buffalo Sabres failed to secure a commanding 2-0 series lead on Tuesday night, and they played one of their worst games in months in the 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Buffalo entered the postseason with dreams of a deep run in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs following a remarkable finish the regular season that included capturing the Atlantic Division title and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Sabres, one of the youngest teams in the NHL playoff field, are quickly learning some harsh lessons about the importance of limiting mistakes against the Bruins, though. Boston has taken advantage of several unforced Buffalo errors during the first two games.
Although the Blue and Gold were fortunate to storm back for a Game 1 victory, their overall level of play in the first-round series hasn't been good enough. They must start to turn things around in Game 3 on Thursday night as the battle shifts to TD Garden.
These players are under pressure to lead the charge for Buffalo.
Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin
Dahlin was one of the NHL's best players over the final few months of the regular season, even vaulting himself into the Hart and Norris Trophy discussions. He scored 45 points (15 goals and 30 assists) across his final 38 appearances of the campaign.
So far, that hasn't translated to postseason success. He's tallied just one point (an assist) in the first two games against Boston, and he's taken a penalty in both games. Too many trips to the box has been a lingering issue for the standout defenseman throughout his career.
The Sabres lean heavily on their top-four defense quartet of Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Owen Power and Bowen Byram to help create offense. It's one of the main reasons for the club's success. Samuelsson (Game 1) and Byram (Game 2) have made an impact, but it hasn't been enough.
Dahlin needs to produce a performance where he's the best player on the ice, because he is. Seeing him take over Game 3 would be the best possible sign for Buffalo heading into the remainder of the series.
Center Josh Norris
Most causal observers wouldn't guess Norris is the Sabres' highest-paid forward. Not Tage Thompson. Not Alex Tuch. Not Josh Doan when his new contract extension kicks in next season. It's Norris with a $7.95 million salary-cap hit.
The injury-prone center missed two months after suffering an injury in the season opener, but he played great upon his return in December. He scored 23 points (nine goals and 14 helpers) over the next 24 games, but he cooled off considerably down the stretch (11 points in 19 contests).
His cold streak has extended to the playoffs. He's failed to record a point in the first two games while registering just two shots on goal. His limited impact has also played a role in the team's power-play struggles. The special-teams unit hasn't scored in its last 31 chances.
Norris needs to move back closer to a point-per-game pace to give the Sabres a chance of finding consistent success against a Bruins squad that's been building an effective defensive wall so far.
Goalie Alex Lyon (or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen)
Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff hasn't announced his starter for Game 3, but the tea leaves suggest he may be leaning toward giving Lyon a chance after Luukkonen struggled in the first two games. Lyon stopped all seven shots in relief after UPL was pulled in the third period of Game 2.
The 33-year-old goalie was the Sabres' most dependable option between the pipes for most of the campaign, finishing the year with a .906 save percentage. He faltered late, however, and was then sidelined by an injury leading up to the playoffs.
Now that Lyon is healthy again and Buffalo is seeking a spark, giving the journeyman a start to ideally bring a sense of stability at a chaotic moment makes a ton of sense. That's true even if Ruff decides to go with a rotation rather than anointing a full-time starter moving forward.
If the coaching staff goes back to Luukkonen for Game 3 instead, he'll likely have a short leash. The Sabres can't afford any soft goals, like the one he allowed from center ice on Tuesday, as they try to gain their footing in a tough road environment.
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