BUFFALO, N.Y. -- KeyBank Center went from morgue to madhouse Sunday as the Buffalo Sabres rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit to defeat the Boston Bruins 4-3 to collect the franchise's first playoff victory in 15 years.
The Sabres were on the ropes until they scored four goals in just 6:46 of the final frame, a comeback spearheaded by two goals from Tage Thompson in his first NHL postseason appearance. Thompson's heroics were reflective of all he and Buffalo have been through to reach their current pinnacle.
"Eight years of adversity is enough experience to get you ready for this," Thompson said. "When you go eight years [with this team] without making playoffs, and then it's finally here, the last thing you want is regret. It was a heightened feeling of hunger, and we didn't want to let this opportunity to slip. Tonight was really important to make a statement and set our standard."
If anything, the victory underscored an in-house mantra for the Sabres that's sure to catch on with the masses.
"We always talk about how dogs have to be dogs," Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin said. "Today, [Thompson] showed up and led the team. That was special."
Thompson has embraced his place within the Sabres' vaunted young core and was proud to have embodied what that statement means on a larger scale now that Buffalo is in control of this playoff series.
"I think up and down our lineup, we want to be the guys that are going to make the difference," Thompson said. "It's a mantra we like to tell each other and see if we can be a game changer. These are the games you live for and want to be a part of."
If Thompson got things started, the rest of Buffalo followed suit to not only get ahead of the Bruins, but stay there -- in historic fashion, no less. The Sabres' rally made them just the second team to overcome a multigoal deficit in the final eight minutes to win in regulation of a playoff game, according to ESPN Research. The other? The New York Americans in Game 2 of the 1940 NHL quarterfinals against the Detroit Red Wings.
Indeed, it was quite the accomplishment by Buffalo, a team hard-pressed to give equal credit to both Thompson and the fans behind them.
"I think the crowd was great all night," said Mattias Samuelsson, who scored the third goal for the Sabres. "The place erupted and you could feel the energy building. Once we cracked them, we could go from there, and [Thompson] got us going."
Whether that was the key to his success in Game 1 or not, coach Lindy Ruff confirmed Thompson and his teammates got 60 minutes worth of education they will never forget.
"I told them right after the game, 'You want experience? You've got it now,'" Ruff said. "What an experience. If you're going to say this is your first [NHL] playoff game, you've got a great story to tell."
"I don't think it was an individual effort," Thompson added. "I was in the right spot where the puck found me off their pressure. Those two goals were exactly what we wanted to do all night. Fortunately, they went in for us."
It's been a key to the Sabres' climb toward winning the Atlantic Division this year that they built confidence in not just each other, but the systems and structures put in place to guide them up the standings.
"I don't think the belief ever wavered," Samuelsson said. "We just tried to stick with the process. We had a lot of belief within the group and got the right momentum, and it worked out nicely."
Ruff credited the Sabres with winning battles down low to rattle the Bruins and ultimately unhinge goaltender Jeremy Swayman, in a 34-save performance. Once Thompson had Buffalo back in it, there was a feeling the team just would not be denied.
"You could feel the building shaking," Ruff said. "The atmosphere was unbelievable. Our puck play, we were a little bit jittery [early] and that hurt us. That last 10 minutes, we got our game in a good place."
The Sabres will sit on their win now until Game 2 on Tuesday, where the Bruins will be prepared to overcome their mistakes.
"Their defensive structure is good," Ruff said of Boston. "It's two good teams playing hockey. We made them pay for a couple mistakes down low. They weren't getting beat early on. The fact we were able to wear them down over time made a difference."
Buffalo can bask in this win overnight at least, but the goal now is to turn the page as soon as possible and focus on what's next.
"Every game means so much, every shift means so much and there's just way more desperation," Thompson said. "You never know what a turning point in a game or series will be. We don't look too much in the rearview."