{"id":23118,"date":"2026-03-09T14:06:39","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T14:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/sabres-beat-lightning\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T14:06:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T14:06:39","slug":"sabres-beat-lightning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/sabres-beat-lightning\/","title":{"rendered":"Sabres never give up and beat the Lightning"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p><strong>Lead:<\/strong> On Sunday in Buffalo, the Buffalo Sabres rallied from a late deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-7, claiming first place in the Atlantic Division by points. The wild game featured shifting momentum \u2014 Buffalo led 3-0, Tampa Bay answered with a 6-1 run, and the Sabres mounted a four-goal finish to secure the win. The result left Buffalo with 84 points to Tampa Bay&#8217;s 82 while Carolina still leads the East with 86. The contest included heavy penalties, multiple fights and standout individual performances that kept fans on their feet.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Final score: Buffalo Sabres 8, Tampa Bay Lightning 7; Buffalo moves to 84 points, Tampa Bay 82, Carolina 86 in the Eastern Conference.<\/li>\n<li>Momentum swings: Buffalo opened 3-0, Tampa Bay scored six straight to lead, then Buffalo outscored Tampa Bay 4-1 to finish the game.<\/li>\n<li>Discipline and intensity: The teams combined for 102 penalty minutes and five fights; Buffalo recorded four power-play goals and one short-handed goal.<\/li>\n<li>Individual milestones: Josh Doan scored his 21st goal of the season; Tage Thompson had a career-high four assists and extended his point streak to 11 games.<\/li>\n<li>Rasmus Dahlin key late: Dahlin scored to cut the deficit and drew the rebound that led to the go-ahead goal; he also spoke about the crowd&#8217;s impact after the game.<\/li>\n<li>Special teams surge: Buffalo has recorded a power-play goal in 10 of its last 13 games and ranks 8th in the league over that span at 27.7%.<\/li>\n<li>Recent form: Buffalo is 7-0-0 since the All-Star break and 28-5-2 over its last 35 games.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>The Sabres entered the matchup in Buffalo hunting first place in the Atlantic Division, with the Lightning as their nearest pursuers in a tight divisional race. Through the season Buffalo had accumulated 84 points and sat fifth in total points while ranking sixth in the NHL by points percentage at .656; Tampa Bay had 82 points and a .661 points percentage. Carolina remained ahead in the Eastern Conference with 86 points and a .683 points percentage.<\/p>\n<p>Both clubs carry playoff aspirations and high-stakes context into late-season matchups, so games between them often carry extra physicality and intensity. Buffalo\u2019s recent surge after the All-Star break \u2014 seven straight wins \u2014 reflected improved special teams and depth scoring. Tampa Bay, accustomed to playoff-caliber competition, responded aggressively in Buffalo and briefly seized control in the middle periods.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Event<\/h2>\n<p>Buffalo built an early 3-0 advantage, but Tampa Bay erased the deficit and took a 6-4 lead after a dramatic middle stretch. At 3:35 of the second period, an on-ice altercation occurred when Brendon Hagel shoved and struck Rasmus Dahlin repeatedly; Hagel remained in the game and later recorded a goal and an assist, scoring at 9:48 of the third. The lack of an ejection drew criticism from some observers who viewed the officiating as lenient in that sequence.<\/p>\n<p>Trailing late, the Sabres mounted a fierce comeback. Buffalo out-shot Tampa Bay 17-? in the third period (17 shots in the third and 42 overall), keeping pressure alive. Dahlin used a compressed-zone move to cut the deficit to 7-6, and shortly after Ryan McLeod delivered a long outlet pass that freed Jason Zucker for his second goal, knotting the score at 7-7.<\/p>\n<p>The decisive stretch featured three goals in 4:40. Following a Zemgus Girgensons slashing penalty, Josh Doan finished on a Dahlin rebound into an open net for his second of the night and 21st of the season, completing the comeback. The goal capped Buffalo\u2019s fourth power-play tally of the game and swung momentum firmly back to the home side.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; Implications<\/h2>\n<p>At a team level, Buffalo\u2019s special teams were the difference-maker. Scoring four power-play goals and adding a shorthanded strike underlined how the Sabres have turned their man-advantage into a consistent weapon; the club has converted on the power play in 10 of 13 games and sits 8th in the league at 27.7% across that stretch. That efficiency has contributed directly to the club\u2019s 7-0-0 run since the break.<\/p>\n<p>Individually, Tage Thompson\u2019s four-assist game \u2014 a career high \u2014 reinforces his role as a primary playmaker and sustained contributor during the team\u2019s hot run. Josh Doan reaching 20 goals for the first time is a material development for Buffalo\u2019s secondary scoring, and Jason Zucker\u2019s 19 goals despite missing 19 games indicates depth when healthy.<\/p>\n<p>Discipline remains a concern. The 102 combined penalty minutes and five fights indicate elevated risk: extended bench time for key players can undermine rhythm in tight races and draw supplemental discipline from the league office. The Hagel-Dahlin incident in particular may prompt further review and potential supplementary sanctions, which would have roster and matchup implications for Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n<p>In standings terms, the win nudges Buffalo into first in the Atlantic by total points but leaves a narrow margin in points percentage: Tampa Bay (.661) and Buffalo (.656) are very close, and Carolina (.683) still leads the conference. With the playoff stretch approaching, every point and percentage decimal matters for home-ice scenarios and seeding battles.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; Data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Team<\/th>\n<th>Points<\/th>\n<th>Points %<\/th>\n<th>Notes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Buffalo Sabres<\/td>\n<td>84<\/td>\n<td>.656<\/td>\n<td>7-0-0 since break; 28-5-2 last 35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Tampa Bay Lightning<\/td>\n<td>82<\/td>\n<td>.661<\/td>\n<td>Lost 8-7; Hagel had goal+assist<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Carolina Hurricanes<\/td>\n<td>86<\/td>\n<td>.683<\/td>\n<td>Lead Eastern Conference<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><figcaption>Standings snapshot and recent form after Buffalo&#8217;s 8-7 win (points and points percentage).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The table highlights how narrow the top of the Eastern Conference remains. Buffalo\u2019s recent surge has improved its positioning, but the points-percentage metric still favors Tampa Bay and Carolina, underscoring how each remaining game can shift playoff seeding.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; Quotes<\/h2>\n<p>Players and fans reacted strongly after the game; Dahlin credited the crowd and the moment when reflecting on the comeback and the team\u2019s progress.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cFor sure we could not have done this without the crowd\u2026 it was an unbelievable atmosphere in here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><cite>Rasmus Dahlin<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Later, Dahlin spoke about the broader significance of the season and his personal playoff drought, describing the emotional weight of the moment.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThis is why I play hockey\u2026 finally we\u2019re here and we\u2019re doing good things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><cite>Rasmus Dahlin<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: Points vs. Points Percentage<\/summary>\n<p>Points are the cumulative total earned in the standings (two for a win, one for an overtime\/shootout loss). Points percentage divides points earned by the maximum possible points from games played, so it accounts for unequal games played between clubs. Late-season scheduling quirks can make points percentage critical for playoff seeding when teams have played different totals.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<\/h2>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Whether the NHL Department of Player Safety will issue supplemental discipline to Brendon Hagel for the second-period altercation has not been announced.<\/li>\n<li>Breaking Rasmus Dahlin\u2019s 569-game playoff absence is probable but not guaranteed; official playoff qualification remains unconfirmed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>Buffalo\u2019s 8-7 victory over Tampa Bay was emblematic of the Sabres\u2019 season-long resilience: a team that can lead, survive a run by a top opponent, and finish strongly in high-pressure situations. Special teams performance and depth scoring\u2014highlighted by Doan, Thompson and Dahlin\u2014were decisive.<\/p>\n<p>Practically, the result tightens the Atlantic Division race and boosts Buffalo\u2019s confidence and standings position, but margins remain slim in points percentage. The Sabres have a day off Monday before hosting the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, and how the team manages rest and discipline will matter as the playoff push continues.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.audacy.com\/wgr550\/sports\/sabres\/sabres-never-give-up-and-beat-the-lightning\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Audacy \/ WGR 550<\/a> (local sports radio \/ online coverage)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhl.com\/standings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NHL.com Standings<\/a> (official league standings)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lead: On Sunday in Buffalo, the Buffalo Sabres rallied from a late deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-7, claiming first place in the Atlantic Division by points. The wild game featured shifting momentum \u2014 Buffalo led 3-0, Tampa Bay answered with a 6-1 run, and the Sabres mounted a four-goal finish to secure &#8230; <a title=\"Sabres never give up and beat the Lightning\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/sabres-beat-lightning\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Sabres never give up and beat the Lightning\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23115,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Sabres never give up and beat the Lightning | Audacy","rank_math_description":"Buffalo rallied to defeat Tampa Bay 8-7 in a wild Sunday game, claiming the Atlantic lead by points. Key moments, a 4-goal finish and special-teams surge defined the comeback.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"sabres, lightning, comeback, dahlin, doan","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}