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Noah Ăstlund made a significant impact in his playoff debut for the Buffalo Sabres, stepping in for the injured Josh Norris. The rookie, selected 16th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, showcased his skills on the ice.
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An undersized No.86 flying around the ice making impact plays with the puck on his stick? That must be Jack Hughes, right? Actually, itâs Buffalo Sabres rookie, Noah Ăstlund.
When the Sabres learned they were losing Josh Norris to injury in Game 3, it instilled a bit of trepidation.
Buffalo is quite high on Ăstlund, who they selected 16th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. However, a rookie making his playoff debut in place of a proven impact NHL forward is a big ask.
Despite early nerves, Ăstlund didnât let the magnitude of the moment weigh him down.
âMaybe a little bit (of nerves) in the first couple shifts,â Ăstlund said with a smile. âBut it goes away pretty quick, too.â
After a scoreless first period on Thursday night, the Boston Bruins took a 1-0 lead on the stick of Tanner Jeannot just over three minutes into the middle frame.
The Sabres didnât bend, however. And eventually responded.
About seven minutres after the opening goal, Ăstlund carried the puck through the neutral zone and over the Boston blueline for a clean zone entry. He slipped below the Bruins defense and goal line with the puck, and fed Bowen Byram at the top of the right circle for a one-time chance that beat goaltender Jeremy Swayman to tie the game at one.
Ăstlundâs elusive playmaking certainly took the unsettled Swayman by surprise. Yet, he stunned Byram with the pass, too.
Noah Ăstlund made a notable impact in his playoff debut, showcasing his skills and making significant plays on the ice.
Noah Ăstlund played in the playoffs due to Josh Norris's injury, which opened up a spot for the rookie in the lineup.
Noah Ăstlund was drafted 16th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Noah Ăstlund's playing style has drawn comparisons to Jack Hughes, particularly in his ability to make impactful plays with the puck.

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âHonestly, he kind of surprised me a bit there,â Byram said. âI wasnât sure he was going to get it through to me. Unreal pass by him.â
Whereas the Sabres rookie turned some heads with his vision and playmaking, Ăstlund brushed it off as just another play.
âI saw him all the way, and then [Josh Doan] did a good job driving the net,â he said. âSo that lane opened up.â
The Sabres rookie put the nail in the coffin to solidify their 3-1 victory on Thursday to take a 2-1 series lead. After Alex Tuch scored the game-winning goal earlier in the third period, Lindy Ruff iced Ăstlund late in the third period when the Bruins pulled Swayman for the extra attacker.
âFor a first playoff game with us, he gets an A-plus,â said Ruff.
Ăstlund deposited the empty-net goalâhis first-ever in the playoffsâas the clock ran down to take Game 3 at TD Garden.
Ăstlund had a promising rookie season. He scored 11 goals and 27 points in 60 games. After he was pointless in his first eight games when he debuted in 2024-25, itâs evident Ăstlund is reaped the benefits in his development as the Sabres surged.
However, his best game to date was probably Thursday night.
The Ăstlund-led line flanked by Zach Benson and Jack Quinn led the Sabres in the expected goal share all night with an 89.98 xGF%, according to Natural Stat Trick.
In fact, during 5-on-5 play, they didnât allow a single scoring chance against with Ăstlund and Co. on the ice.
Before last night, Ăstlund hadnât played in a game for nearly a month after suffering an upper-body injuryâironically against the Sabres on March 25th.
Yet, his immediate impact when returning to the lineup blew his teammates away, singing his praises in the locker room Thursday night.
âI mean, jumping right in, he hasnât played a game in a couple weeks, itâs his first-ever playoff hockey game in his rookie year, and the guy gets (a goal) and (an assist). Thatâs special,â said Tuch. âI mean, the hockey IQâs off the charts. But honestly, the compete, he went in there every single shift, made a difference every single shift, and he was phenomenal.â
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