When the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres began their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round playoff series 10 days ago, raise your hand if you thought the Bruins would be trailing the series, 3-2, but both wins would have been in Buffalo?
Not many. After the regular season, the Black and Gold had home ice, who envisioned Boston losing two games at home? Well, that's where we're at, and now, after David Pastrnak extended the series another game late on Tuesday night when he scored on a breakaway in overtime for a 2-1 Bruins win. Back to the TD Garden for a Game 6 on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
After Tuesday night's win, the Bruins have to be feeling good about their effort on the road. Now, they need to bring that same effort back on the plane with them from Western New York. Defenseman Hampus Lindholm thinks they will.
Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm sends subtle message to Sabres for Game 6
It is no secret that the hardest game to win is the fourth and final game in a series. The Sabres are finding that out. After embarrassing the Bruins on Sunday afternoon at the TD Garden, they had a chance to close them out in Game 5. Instead, Marco Sturm's team played their style and forced another game. Hampus Lindholm had a message for Bruins fans and the Sabres about Friday night.
“(Fans are) going to see different Bruins. Boston Bruins at home. We’re going to play the game we’ve been doing here on the road (and) take that home,” Hampus Lindholm said. “We love playing in front of our fans. Got some of the best fans in the league. Love being at home. That’s going to be a real tough game for Buffalo to try to close out the series. We’re going to make it hard on them.”
There is no way that the Bruins will lose all three games this series at home, is there? I mean, it would be stunning if they did after the regular season they had at home. However, as we have learned this postseason, expect the unexpected.
You have to think that the pressure falls on the Sabres on Friday night. The last thing they want to do is go to a Game 7 at home. However, the last thing the Bruins want to do is go winless at home in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Something has to give.
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