After coming off a huge win in Boston during Game 4 of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres once again played host to the Bruins at the KeyBank Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

For Boston, this game was important. If you win, you get to fight another day, but if you lose, then you go home to watch the grass grow while working on your golf game.

For the Sabres, this game was perhaps one of the most important games of the season, as a victory would send Boston home and allow the Sabres to advance into the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in two decades. You have to go back to the 2006/07 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs for the last time the Sabres won a first-round series, when they beat the New York Rangers in epic fashion.

However, the stars didn't align for the Sabres as Boston was able to pull out a sudden-death overtime win when David Pastrnak was able to take a turnover and put the puck into the net against Alex Lyon, which left the sold-out KeyBank Center silent.

After Game 5 Loss, Sabres Go Back To Boston For Potential Deciding Game 6

For a few minutes in the first period, it looked like the Sabres would dispatch of the Bruins as they did in Game 4. Rasmus Dahlin was able to grab a very early power-play goal against Boston for the Sabres that made the crowd go wild. However, that was pretty much it for offense from the Sabres. Even though the Sabres were able to put 27 shots on goal over the three periods, it was not enough as they were shut out for the remainder of the game.

The Bruins Elias Lindholm scored an unassisted goal in the second period, which tied the game. Eventually, in overtime, Pastrnak stunned the crowd and handed the win to Boston.

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Now, both teams head back to Beantown for Game 6 of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden in Boston on Friday, May 1, 2026. The puck drops at 7:30 pm, and just about every eye in Buffalo will be fixated on the game.

Sabres Buffalo Drop Game 5 In Overtime Against Boston Bruins - 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Both the Sabres and Bruins fought hard in a potential elimination game for Boston, which was about to pull out a sudden-death overtime win against Buffalo on Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Gallery Credit: Ed Nice

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