Sabres erupt for 4 goals in first period, win 6-1 to push Bruins to 3-1 hole in series

BOSTON (AP) — Sabres coach Lindy Ruff shut down any talk of putting forwards Tyson Kozak and Jason Zucker back in after injuries sent them to the locker room late in Game 4 of Buffalo's first-round playoff series against the Bruins.

“I said ‘There’s no need to return at this time,’" Ruff said on Sunday after the Sabres waylaid the Bruins 6-1 in Boston. "Just treat them and leave them in the dressing room. Just for where the game was at.”

It was that kind of day for Buffalo — and Boston.

Josh Doan had a goal and an assist during Buffalo’s four-goal first-period, and Alex Lyon stopped 21 shots to help the Sabres take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. Buffalo, which fell behind in each of the first three games, took a 6-0 lead before the Bruins got on the board in the final minute.

“I am embarrassed, and we all should be,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm said. "And we’re all (upset), and we will talk about it, but then we have to move on.

“As far as I know, you have to win four games to move on. They’ve got three, so that means we still have a chance,” he said. "And I can cry about it, but I also have to push my guys for the next game and make sure our intensity is going to be there.”

Peyton Krebs, Zach Benson and Bowen Byram also scored to help Buffalo open a 4-0 lead. Beck Malenstyn and Alex Tuch scored 84 seconds apart in the third period to make it 6-0 and chase Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.

Boston split the games in Buffalo and needed just one win at home to avoid moving to the brink of elimination. Instead the Sabres, who won the Atlantic Division to end an NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, can finish off the best-of-seven series in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Buffalo for their first playoff series win since 2007.

“They beat us once in our building, so I’m sure that they’re going to come in feeling confident and motivated. We have to be ready for that,” Lyon said. “Sometimes when you have a really good game, it’s almost harder to a degree to curb that emotion. So, enjoy it for a hot second, and then we've got a job to do.”

Swayman stopped 23 shots for Boston before he was pulled at 46 minutes, 41 seconds, shouting down the bench in frustration as he left the ice. Joonas Korpisalo stopped all six shots he faced the rest of the way.

“At least the one guy” showed emotion, Sturm said. “It was not his fault today, I can tell you that. Felt bad for him. That’s why we kept him in there for a while, because he’s a battler. He wants to be in.”

Krebs scored 4:17 into the game, Doan’s goal came less than three minutes later and Benson followed two minutes after that. When Byram made it 4-0 just 14:24 into the game, it was Buffalo’s second four-goal period of the series; the Sabres rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit to win 4-3 in Game 1.

The last time the Bruins allowed four goals in the first period of a playoff game, they were facing the Hartford Whalers in the first round of the 1991 postseason.

Sean Kuraly scored a short-handed goal in the final minute to avert the Bruins' first shoutout of the season.

The Sabres lost Kozak after a hit from Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy midway through the third period sent him into the boards. It wasn't clear what happened to Zucker, who last appeared in the play-by-play with about five minutes left.

Buffalo’s power-play woes continued — sort of. After failing to score on their first 13 man advantages in the series — and their last 22 in the regular season — the Sabres’ second goal came just after a Boston penalty expired, but before Viktor Arvidsson had gotten back into play.

But they were officially 0 for 2 on the power play, extending their drought to 15 in the series and 37 overall.

“You could say we’re going to be 0-for-whatever. I really don’t care right now,” Ruff said. “As far as I’m concerned, we scored a power-play goal. The guy was still in the box, and it looked good.”

The Sabres will have a chance to eliminate Boston in Buffalo on Tuesday night, with a Game 6 back at the TD Garden on Friday, if necessary.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Buffalo Sabres celebrate as they leave the ice after defeating the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Buffalo Sabres' Alex Lyon makes a save during the third period in Game 4 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Boston Bruins, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Boston Bruins' Hampus Lindholm (27) falls on Buffalo Sabres' Tyson Kozak (48) while battling for the puck during the first period in Game 4 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Buffalo Sabres' Zach Benson (6) celebrates his goal with teammates Bowen Byram (4), Noah Ostlund (86), Josh Doan (91) and Owen Power (25) during the first period in Game 4 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Boston Bruins, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Buffalo Sabres' Zach Benson (6) scores on Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman (1) during the first period in Game 4 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Buffalo Sabres' Josh Doan (91) celebrates his goal with Zach Benson (6) beside Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman (1) and Charlie McAvoy (73) during the first period in Game 4 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Sunday, April 26, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

LIEGE, Belgium (AP) — Four-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar continued his dominance on Sunday after becoming the first rider this century to earn three straight victories at the Liège–Bastogne–Liège classic cycling race.

The triumph capped an outstanding run in which Pogačar also won two other “monuments” of one-day cycling — Milan-San Remo and Tour of Flanders.

“It means a lot to win one of the biggest races in cycling again,” the 27-year-old Pogačar said. “I don’t do many races anymore, and thus don’t have many opportunities to win. That means I’m under a lot of pressure on days like today.”

The Slovenian lost to Wout van Aert at Paris-Roubaix earlier this month. The fifth and final Monument race will be the Tour of Lombardy in October.

“I’m really happy that we succeeded,” Pogačar said. “I hope we can keep going like this into the summer. We are in a good place right now. I feel good on the bike and during training, and I appreciate the time I spend with my teammates more and more every year.”

Paul Seixas, the 19-year-old French rider, was second to Pogačar on Sunday. Remco Evenepoel finished third.

“I always race to win, but we know that Pogačar has been utterly dominant these last few years, so just being able to follow him is already something.” Seixas said. “You have to take things one step at a time, without rushing.”

FDJ Suez rider Demi Vollering became the first three-time winner of the women's race.

The Dutchwoman is one of the most decorated cyclists of her generation. She won the Tour de France in 2023.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

First place, Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates celebrates on the podium during the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

First place, Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates, center, poses on the podium with second place France's Paul Seixas, left, and third place Belgium's Remco Evenepoel of the Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe team during the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)