3 Buffalo Sabres who could have their own 'May Day' moment against Bruins

The Buffalo Sabres are heading back to the playoffs and are set to play a team they know well in the Boston Bruins. This will be the ninth playoff meeting, and there may not be one more memorable than in 1993 when they swept the Bruins.

For most fans, the one thing they remember from that series was the 'May Day' call by Rick Jeanneret when Brad May scored in overtime of Game 4 to secure not only the win but the series. However, at the time, May was in his second season with the Sabres, and what he was known for was his physicality and not necessarily the playmaking ability he showed off on that play.

When looking ahead to this series, the Sabres have a couple of players who could fit the Brad May role, where they do a lot of other things really well that help this team to be successful. However, it could be a goal that decides the series and hopefully advances the Sabres.

Zach Benson

Zach Benson may not be as big as Brad May, but he does a lot of the gritty things that might fly under the radar. However, it is appreciated by his teammates, like when he didn't hesitate to defend Tage Thompson after an uncalled for hit against the San Jose Sharks.

Benson ended the regular season on a high note and played some of his best hockey this season with a five-game point streak, with three goals and three assists during that stretch. He has been great on the line with Josh Norris and Josh Doan and should remain there even with Noah Ostlund expected to be close to returning.

The goal-scoring has picked up for Benson heading into the playoffs, which could be a perfect complement to what he brings to the ice with his hustle.

Peyton Krebs

Another player that might be overlooked at times, but is a big reason for the Sabres' success, is Peyton Krebs. He moved around the lineup for most of the season before finding a permanent spot on the top line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.

Krebs does the little things that help Thompson and Tuch be successful, from his forechecking to finishing second on the team in hits, even though he isn't the biggest guy on the ice. He would finish the season with 12 goals, which is a career high for him, and is almost identical to May's total in 1992-93 when he had 13.

The two players also have similar roles as May was on a line with Pat LaFontaine, who set up May for the game-winning goal, and Alexander Mogilny for this series. Both May and Krebs do a great job as supporting players on the ice next to superstars, but can take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.

Beck Malenstyn

Among the players on the Sabres' current roster who probably align closest to what Brad May brought to his team is Beck Malenstyn. May was a physical presence, and while hits weren't tracked at the time, penalty minutes were, and after 309 as a rookie, he had 242 during the 1992-93 season.

Malenstyn doesn't have the penalty minutes, but did set the franchise record for hits this season with 282. However, he has also shown that when given some space, he can make some highlight reel goals, like this one against the San Jose Sharks.

Malenstyn finished the season with only seven goals, but it wouldn't be surprising if he didn't have one or two in this series against the Boston Bruins and cemented himself in franchise history as a playoff hero like Brad May.

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