For the first time since their 14-year playoff drought began, the Buffalo Sabres are in position to clinch a postseason berth.
With their 4-3 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night — coupled with losses by the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, and Philadelphia Flyers — the Sabres' magic number was reduced to just two. As a result, there is a very strong chance that the Sabres can end their postseason drought as soon as Thursday.
For context, here is the full slate of games on Thursday's NHL schedule:
Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Rangers
Sabres vs. Senators
Red Wings vs. Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Blue Jackets vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers
Washington Capitals vs. New Jersey Devils
Winnipeg Jets vs. Dallas Stars
Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota Wild
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Edmonton Oilers
Calgary Flames vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Utah Mammoth vs. Seattle Kraken
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. San Jose Sharks
Nashville Predators vs. Los Angeles Kings
The path for Buffalo to clinch their postseason spot is quite straightforward ...
To put it simply, a Sabres win of any kind over the Senators would put the team into the playoffs for the first time since 2011. A win puts the Sabres at 102 points, while the Senators would only be able to get to 101 points (100 if Ottawa loses in regulation).
While the Red Wings and Flyers could also get to 102 points, the Sabres already had secured the regulation win tiebreaker on Philadelphia and their win over the Islanders ensured that Detroit could not match their tally in that category.
... but what happens if the Sabres lose?
If the Sabres lose to the Senators on Thursday, they would have to wait until Saturday for their next chance to clinch a playoff berth. Given that the Red Wings and Flyers play each other on Thursday, a Sabres loss would mean that at least one of those teams will have a mathematical chance to catch Buffalo if they win out.
If the contest ends in regulation, only one team would be able to pass Buffalo. If it ends in overtime, both teams would have a chance.
What about the Atlantic Division title chase?
Like with their postseason chase, Tuesday's out-of-town scoreboard gave Buffalo a massive boost with regard to their battle for the Atlantic Division title. While the Bruins doubled up the Stars by a score of 6-3, the Canadiens were able to defeat the Lightning by a 4-1 scoreline. The gap between Buffalo and Boston is still six points, but the Sabres were able to regain a two-point lead on the Lightning for first in the Atlantic with a crucial head-to-head encounter coming on Monday.
In terms of the divisional race, Sabres fans should root for the Rangers to continue their unbeaten streak against the Habs. While both of the Rangers' wins over the Habs came in the 2025 portion of the schedule, it is nonetheless an encouraging opportunity for the Sabres to gain ground on a divisional rival.
Elsewhere, Sabres fans should back the Penguins to beat the Lightning. Both teams have won one of the first two games in the head-to-head series, meaning that Thursday's encounter will be an important inter-division rubber match.
The final game of significance that involves the Atlantic Division sees the Bruins head south to take on the Panthers. With their 6-3 win over Ottawa, Florida has now won four of its last six games against Eastern Conference playoff contenders. Considering that Boston has played far better at home than on the road, there is a chance that the Sabres' six-point advantage over Boston could widen by day's end. A Bruins loss would also put Buffalo on course to clinch a top-three finish in the division as soon as Saturday.
Where could the Sabres gain in the Eastern Conference race?
The Hurricanes' 5-2 win over Columbus on Tuesday meant that Buffalo would enter Thursday's NHL action level on points with Carolina but with one more game played.
While the Sabres have the disadvantage of not being able to play Carolina at any point over their last seven games, the Sabres do hold a four-game lead over the Hurricanes in the regulation win tiebreaker. If the Blue Jackets can beat Carolina in any fashion on Thursday, a Sabres win would give them sole possession of the Eastern Conference's top seed. If Columbus beats Carolina in regulation, Buffalo would also gain control of their destiny for that position with six games to play.
The full Buffalo rooting guide for Thursday
Considering all of the above, here is every result that Sabres fans should back on Thursday night:
A Sabres win of any kind over the Senators
Any regulation result in the Red Wings-Flyers contest
A Rangers win in regulation over the Habs
A Panthers win in regulation over the Bruins
A Blue Jackets win in regulation over the Hurricanes