For the first time since the 2010-11 season, the Buffalo Sabres are going back to the playoffs. As is the case when a team breaks a long playoff drought, people compare what the world was like back then to what it is like today. Back then, the No. 1 movie was Hop, the No. 1 song was E.T. by Katy Perry with Kanye West, and everyone was playing Call of Duty: Black Ops. It's clear that the world has changed a lot over the past 15 years.
However, despite the differences, the Sabres' first-round matchup is giving fans deja vu. The Sabres are set to play the Bruins, whom they faced in the 2009-10 playoffs. The second-to-last time they made the postseason. This has led many to draw comparisons between the two, and many to wonder if the series will go the same way. But these two teams are wildly different, and the Sabres should have the upper hand in this series.
The Sabres will have better luck this time around against the Bruins
That series against the Bruins is one that Sabres fans would like to forget. After winning the first game of the series, the Sabres would drop the next three, two of which were by one goal. They had a nice bounce-back performance in Game 5, winning by three goals. Many fans hoped this will give the team some momentum and allow it to rally back. Unfortunately, Game 6 was dominated by the Bruins. While the Sabres tried to make a late comeback, the Bruins took the series, 4-2.
That series helped launch the Bruins into one of the best teams in the league for an extended stretch.
However, this year was a bit of a surprise as they had moved on from many of those key pieces. Many felt this would be a rebuilding year for Boston. It was the strong offensive performances of David Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie, and Pavel Zacha, along with strong goaltending from Jeremy Swayman. This helped the Bruins exceed expectations and get back to the playoffs.
But the Sabres match up nicely against this team. They have been one of the better defensive teams in the league this season. According to Natural Stat Trick, they have an xGA of 175.45 and have allowed 736 high-danger chances this season, both of which rank in the top 15 in the league. Their goalies, Alex Lyon (who's currently sidelined by injury) and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, have had strong seasons, both averaging less than 2.80 goals allowed per game. Buffalo can shut down Boston's offensive stars.
The Sabres should also be able to get the better of Swayman. While he's had a good season, the defense in front of him has not. According to Natural Stat Trick, they have an xGA of 191.87 and have allowed 818 high-danger chances. Both of these are the fourth-worst in the league. With the Sabres having at least one 50-plus point producer on their top three lines, they should generate constant pressure. This will help them create a lot of prime scoring chances against Swayman, which is the key to reversing the result from that postseason meeting 16 years ago.
While the Bruins may have beaten the Sabres in the past, it does not mean that they have an upper hand in this series. As long as the Sabres continue to play their style of hockey, they should have no problem getting past them to keep their Stanley Cup dreams alive.
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