Sabres, Golden Knights and Canadiens look to close out their 1st-round series in huge Game 6 slate
Closeout time has arrived in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the pressure to avoid a Game 7 is squarely on Montreal, Buffalo and Vegas on Friday night. A tantalizing tripleheader of Game 6 action begins with the Tampa Bay Lightning's visit to the Canadiens and the Sabres' trip to Boston, followed by the Golden Knights visiting the Utah Mammoth in the nightcap. While the Knights have had a wealth of postseason success — more than their share, most of their opponents would say — during their first nine seasons in the NHL, the Mammoth will look to stay alive for their first playoff series victory since moving to Salt Lake City last season.
Meanwhile, a series-clinching win would be nothing less than monumental for the Canadiens and the Sabres, whose hockey-hungry markets would love to see the second round again. No fan base in the league has been hungrier for longer than Buffalo, which went 14 years without seeing a playoff game before these Sabres won their first Atlantic Division title this spring. They've got an even bigger step to take now, however — learning to close out a playoff series.
The Sabres barely failed in their first chance Tuesday, losing Game 5 at home in overtime to the resilient Bruins. Then again, Buffalo’s lineup didn’t have a lot of experience, with just 10 players having previously appeared in an outing with a chance to eliminate an opponent. “We trusted the process to get to this point,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said.
“You’ve got to continue to trust it. It’s a team (that for) a whole year has won together and lost together, but embrace this moment -- and somebody for us is going to be a big time player. I can’t tell you who that is, but somebody will.
" Buffalo’s power play continues to sputter: Rasmus Dahlin’s goal in Game 5 was the Sabres' first with the man advantage in 18 opportunities this series. Buffalo enters Game 6 having converted one of 20 power-play chances against Boston after going 0-for-22 to close the regular season. The Sabres' last playoff series victory was in the second round in 2007 against the New York Rangers.
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