The Buffalo Sabres are not only in a great position to end their 14-season playoff drought but also win their division for the first time since the 2009-10 season, when it was still the Northeast Division with only five teams. Entering Monday, the Sabres had a four-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the Lightning have two games in hand.
For the Sabres, securing the Atlantic Division is more than just a division title, as it will also give them home-ice advantage for at least the first two rounds of the Eastern Conference playoffs. This means that not only do they get four home games if it goes to seven, but they begin each series with back-to-back home games.
On Saturday night, the Sabres played the Toronto Maple Leafs, a game they won in a shootout, and goalie Joseph Woll got to experience first-hand what not only a sold-out crowd at KeyBank Arena feels like, but one that is overwhelmingly Sabres fans. After the game, Mark Masters of TSN quoted the Maple Leafs goalie saying:
"This is one of the first times I’ve played here when it didn’t feel like a home game, which sucks because it’s nice to have our fans here, but good for Buffalo coming out. Pretty exciting building tonight."
Buffalo Sabres have been great at KeyBank Center this season
This season, the Buffalo Sabres have been tough to beat at home and have a 22-9-3 record and have outscored opponents 122-99. The passionate fan base in Buffalo is something that the Buffalo Bills have been able to use to their advantage over the years, and now the Sabres should benefit from that as well.
For a team that hasn't been to the playoffs in so long, it would be a huge boost for them to begin the playoff run at home. It can help them settle in a bit and even get an early lead in the series that can help carry them to series wins.
The question is whether or not they can hold onto the division, as it will guarantee home-ice advantage for the first two rounds while second place would guarantee only the opening round. After that, if they were to advance to the Conference Finals, then it would be based on total points, and the Sabres are only two points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who lead the conference.
There are only 15 games left in the regular season, but the Sabres are in a great position to have what the Maple Leafs' goalie described as a "pretty exciting building" behind them in their return to the playoffs.