The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Boston Bruins 3-1 in Game 3, taking a 2-1 series lead in their Eastern Conference playoff matchup. Alex Tuch scored the game-winning goal early in the third period.
Key points
Buffalo Sabres won Game 3 3-1 against Boston Bruins
Sabres deliver Game 3 statement to seize series edge
Alex Tuch scored 4:03 into the third period to propel the visiting Buffalo Sabres to a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Thursday night.
Buffalo's win was the second straight for a road team in the best-of-seven series, which it now leads 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday afternoon.
Tuch slid down to the top of the left circle to snap the game-winner high on Boston's Jeremy Swayman. He retrieved the loose puck after Peyton Krebs was knocked off balance along the boards. Initially, the play continued with a failed Boston clearance landing the puck on Owen Power's stick at the point.
After the Sabres killed back-to-back penalties early in the third to finish a 4-for-4 night on the penalty kill, Noah Ostlund beat out an icing call and stuffed home an empty-net goal with 1:24 remaining.
Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres trips on the ice during the second period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Sabres won, 3-1.
Q&A
What was the final score of Game 3 between the Sabres and Bruins?
The final score was 3-1 in favor of the Buffalo Sabres.
Who scored the game-winning goal in Sabres vs Bruins Game 3?
Alex Tuch scored the game-winning goal for the Sabres.
What is the current series score between the Sabres and Bruins?
The Sabres lead the series 2-1 against the Bruins.
When is Game 4 of the Sabres vs Bruins playoff series?
Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
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Logan Stanley of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Boston Bruins during the first period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Sabres won, 3-1.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden. The Sabres won, 3-1.
Tanner Jeannot of the Boston Bruins and Mattias Samuelsson of the Buffalo Sabres battle for control of a loose puck during the first period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson checks Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot into the boards during the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins holds Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak during the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins checks Ryan McLeod of the Buffalo Sabres into the boards during the second period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson skates against Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs collides with Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power controls the puck against Boston Bruins center Mark Kastelic during the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson battle for the puck during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei checks Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
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Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres trips on the ice during the second period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Sabres won, 3-1.
1 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres trips on the ice during the second period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Sabres won, 3-1.
2 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Logan Stanley of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Boston Bruins during the first period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Sabres won, 3-1.
3 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden. The Sabres won, 3-1.
4 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Tanner Jeannot of the Boston Bruins and Mattias Samuelsson of the Buffalo Sabres battle for control of a loose puck during the first period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
5 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson checks Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot into the boards during the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
6 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins holds Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak during the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
7 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins checks Ryan McLeod of the Buffalo Sabres into the boards during the second period Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
8 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Buffalo Sabres left wing Zach Benson skates against Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
9 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs collides with Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
10 / 13
Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power controls the puck against Boston Bruins center Mark Kastelic during the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
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Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Boston Bruins center Morgan Geekie and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson battle for the puck during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
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Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Boston Bruins during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
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Sabres take series lead with Game 3 win in Boston
Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei checks Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden.
Ostlund and Bowen Byram -- who, like Tuch, has scored twice through the first three games -- finished with a goal and an assist for Buffalo, while Alex Lyon made 24 saves in his first start of the playoff run.
Lyon made 10 of his stops in the final frame, including a key one on Charlie McAvoy's one-timer inside 5:00 to go.
Tanner Jeannot scored the lone goal and Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots for Boston.
Jeannot continued Boston's trend of scoring first in the series, beating Lyon on the first second-period attempt he faced at the 3:26 mark. After a bruising shift from the fourth line, McAvoy fed the puck ahead to Jeannot who came down the left circle and whipped his first career playoff goal past Lyon's blocker.
While Swayman denied Tage Thompson's turnaround shot from the bottom of the right circle just over a minute later, Buffalo seized the momentum before the intermission, denying Viktor Arvidsson's penalty shot at 9:50 before scoring the game-tying goal just 1:08 later.
The hosts had a chance to double their lead on Arvidsson's attempt, which he missed wide after Rasmus Dahlin slashed him on a breakaway following a turnover.
Instead, it was a 1-1 game at 10:58. Noah Ostlund drove down the left wing and slipped a pass from beyond the goal line to Byram in the right circle, where he knocked home a low wrister over Swayman's glove.
Before Tuch's goal, Buffalo narrowly missed taking a 2-1 lead in the opening minute of the third, as an up-ice rush led Jason Zucker to a straightaway wrist shot that clanked off iron.
