The Buffalo Sabres’ run in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs is over, and it ended in such a painful fashion.
Sabres star defenseman Rasmus Dahlin’s vulgar reaction to his team’s series loss against the Montreal Canadiens summed it all up.
“It f—-ing sucks,” the blueliner said after Buffalo suffered a 3-2 overtime loss in Game 7 of the Habs series at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y., via Joe Yerdon of Bleacher Report.
It was there for the taking in Game 7 for the Sabres, who forced the win-or-go-home scenario for both teams after crushing the Canadiens in Game 6, 8-3, in Quebec.
But Buffalo struggled right out of the gate in Game 7, with the Habs scoring back-to-back goals in the opening period. The Sabres responded in the second frame with a Jordan Greenway goal. Dahlin stepped up in the third period, lighting the lamp on the power play to tie the score at 2-2.
In the heart-pounding overtime, Montreal stunned the Sabres and the entire arena with Alex Newhook scoring the game-winning and series-clinching goal.
Despite the stinging loss to the Canadiens, the Sabres can feel proud about their body of work in the 2025-26 NHL season. They reinvigorated the fanbase by winning 50 games and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2011.
At the very least, Dahlin and the Sabres have something to build on for the next season, where they will look to sustain their success.
