BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The time for talking, practicing and poring over game film is over as far as Sabres coach Lindy Ruff is concerned.
With Buffalo facing elimination for the first time this postseason, Ruff told his team to avoid the rink Friday, meet at the airport and contemplated canceling the skate the next morning in Montreal with his message essentially being: Show up and play.
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Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) is brought down by Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) during the third period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres left wing Jordan Greenway (12) is checked by Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) in front of goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) during the first period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Montreal Canadiens players celebrate victory following the third period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff speaks to his team in the final minutes of play against the Montreal Canadiens during third period second round, Game 4, NHL playoff action in Montreal on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
“I know the pressure they’re feeling. I know how much they care. I just feel a day away from the rink, not coming here, is a good thing,” Ruff said.
“We need to move on. There’s only one game that counts, and that is the game tomorrow,” he added. “We have to play on our toes. We got to play to win. Can’t be afraid.”
The Sabres trail 3-2 in their second-round series against the Canadiens, with Montreal hosting Game 6 on Saturday night (8 p.m. EDT, ABC) in what should be a raucous atmosphere. Aside from it being the Canadiens’ first Saturday night game of these playoffs, it also falls on Canada’s Victoria Day holiday weekend.
“We’ll see what tomorrow brings,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said Friday. “I feel that you just stay present where your feet are and take care of that. I think it helps sustain even keel and just focus on the process and prepare.”
The Canadiens have yet to lose two in a row this postseason, but are 1-1 in series-clinching games. In their opening series against Tampa Bay, Montreal lost 1-0 in Game 6 at home before a 2-1 win in Game 7 at Tampa Bay.
“It’s the hardest game. Any time a team’s got it’s back against the wall, that’s when they’re desperate,” defenseman Alexandre Carrier said. “We just got to stick to our game plan and really do what we do best.”
The series winner advances to play Carolina, which has swept both of its playoff series, and been off since a 3-2 overtime win against Philadelphia on May 9. The East final will start either next Tuesday or next Thursday.
The Sabres have various concerns following a 6-3 home loss on Thursday with a renewed focus on a sputtering offense and inconsistencies in net.
Leading 3-2, Buffalo allowed Montreal to score three times over the final 12 minutes of the second period.
Buffalo has combined for just nine goals in its past four games after a 4-2 win in Game 1. More worrisome is allowing 19 goals over the same span.
Regular-season leading scorer Tage Thompson, who was stopped on a breakaway early in the second period, has two goals and two assists in the series. Fellow first-line forward Alex Tuch has been blanked in all five games, and acknowledged playing poorly on defense.
“I’ve got to bear down. I’ve got to be better. I can’t play the way I’m playing right now,” Tuch said. “But I’ve got to move past it.”
Goaltending is a question mark. Ukko-Pekka Luukonen was pulled Thursday after allowing five goals on 23 shots through two periods. Alex Lyon mopped up, allowing a goal on three shots in his first appearance since losing the starting job following a 6-2 loss in Game 3.
Ruff doesn’t comment on his goaltending plans. And should the team not practice Saturday morning, the Game 6 starter won’t be revealed until shortly before puck drop.
Among Ruff’s other concerns is Buffalo either passing up scoring opportunities, or failing to finish when getting shots on net. This was especially the case in the first period, when Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes looked shaky after allowing three goals on four shots.
“We thought we let them off the hook,” Ruff said. “Probably there were four or five opportunities to get the puck there quicker last night that could have kept them in chaos.”
Ruff turned the attention to whatever bright sides he could find.
The Sabres are 4-1 on the road this postseason, including a series-clinching 4-1 win at Boston. There’s also the reality of Buffalo being one of five teams still in contention.
“We get to go to Montreal in Game 6 in the middle of May,” Ruff said, noting it’s a message he intends to share with his team. “I think we’ll all be evaluated on what this game looks like. Just bring your best.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) is brought down by Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) during the third period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres left wing Jordan Greenway (12) is checked by Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) in front of goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) during the first period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Montreal Canadiens players celebrate victory following the third period in Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff speaks to his team in the final minutes of play against the Montreal Canadiens during third period second round, Game 4, NHL playoff action in Montreal on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
HAYWARD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 2026--
OnQ, the retail industry’s leading provider of engaging, tech-enabled, secure retail displays and experiences, today announced that its proprietary Converge platform now integrates with IBM AS/400-based inventory management systems, enabling retailers and brands to connect real-time inventory data directly to the in-store shopping experience.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260515885025/en/
The integration closes a longstanding gap between digital engagement and core retail operations, allowing in-store displays and interactive experiences to reflect accurate, real-time product availability, including automatically suppressing out-of-stock items, prioritizing available inventory and aligning promotions with what can actually be purchased in-store.
IBM AS/400 (now commonly referred to as IBM i) has long been considered the gold standard for high-volume retail inventory and transaction processing, underpinning operations for many of the world’s largest retailers. Global brands such as Walmart, Costco, Target and Walgreens have all relied on AS/400-based systems to manage core functions like inventory, transactions and supply chain operations at a massive scale. Known for its unmatched reliability, uptime and ability to process real-time data across complex store environments, AS/400 remains deeply embedded in modern retail infrastructure. By integrating directly with these systems, OnQ’s Converge platform connects to the same proven backbone that powers day-to-day retail operations, bringing a new level of accuracy and operational alignment to the in-store digital experience.
OnQ’s AS/400 integration moved beyond the pilot phase to real-world deployment throughout Costco’s network of 610 club stores in the United States. Costco is among the first to leverage this new capability, using Converge’s AS/400 integration to better align digital experiences with inventory systems across its store environment.
“We believe the future of retail belongs to platforms that connect everything,” said Paul Chapuis, founder & CEO of OnQ. “Not just screens and content, but inventory, reporting, operations and the customer experience itself. Converge was built from the ground up to be that kind of platform. It’s already an incredibly robust system for managing devices, content and engagement across retail environments. Now, with AS/400 integration, it extends even deeper into the retailer ecosystem, helping brands and retailers finally bring the operational and customer sides of the store together in a meaningful way.”
With AS/400 integration, Converge enables retailers to:
Built from the ground up by OnQ specifically for retail applications, Converge provides a centralized system for managing complex, multi-location deployments, eliminating the need for disconnected tools, manual workflows or retrofitted platforms not designed for the realities of store execution. OnQ’s Converge platform brings retailers’ core capabilities into a single integrated platform.
The addition of AS/400 integration builds on Converge’s foundation as a purpose-built retail platform designed to unify the key elements of modern display programs: remote device management, content management and reporting & analytics.
Remote Device Management
Converge enables teams to remotely monitor the health and status of deployed devices across store environments. Users can quickly identify online and offline units, access key device details such as serial numbers and store locations, and resolve issues faster to minimize downtime and keep programs running smoothly.
Content Management
The platform simplifies content operations by allowing teams to preview, edit and deploy digital experiences with speed and control. Converge supports continuous content delivery, even during connectivity interruptions, and ensures that time-sensitive promotions execute accurately while enabling store- or region-specific strategies.
Reporting & Analytics
With built-in reporting and engagement analytics, Converge helps customers move beyond deployment and into optimization. Users can analyze device health, shopper engagement and comparative performance across stores and time periods, with the ability to connect those insights to real business outcomes.
Coupling these core capabilities with inventory integration gives brands and retailers a more strategic way to manage the full retail experience through a single system. Looking ahead, OnQ will continue expanding Converge’s capabilities to drive measurable improvements to in-store performance. This includes faster execution timelines, improved in-stock alignment, reduced operational friction and stronger conversion, all powered by deeper integration across reporting, analytics and inventory management systems.
OnQ’s Converge platform is part of the company’s broader approach to delivering successful retail programs through integrated design, execution, support and optimization. With thousands of live global screens and millions of shopper interactions, OnQ continues to help leading brands and retailers create retail experiences that are easier to manage and built to perform.
Visit https://onqsolutions.com or contact us at info@onqsolutions.com for more information about OnQ’s full line of retail merchandising solutions.
About OnQ
OnQ is the retail industry’s leading provider of engaging, tech-enabled, secure retail displays and experiences. The company is headquartered in Hayward, CA with production facilities in Akron, OH. Founded in 2004 and incorporated in 2007, OnQ’s modular, flexible retail display platform enables retailers and brands to easily and cost-effectively refresh product assortment with minimal disruption. The company’s displays are used to showcase a variety of product categories, including consumer electronics, home automation, pet care, health & beauty and household products. For more information, visit www.onqsolutions.com.
OnQ’s Converge platform now integrates directly with IBM AS/400 systems, connecting real-time inventory data to in-store digital experiences. The Converge platform dynamically aligns promotions and displayed products with actual inventory availability while also unifying remote device management, content management, reporting and analytics into a single retail-focused system. Purpose-built for large-scale retail deployments, Converge helps brands and retailers improve execution, reduce operational friction and create smarter, more responsive in-store experiences.
