PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 13: Rob Refsnyder #30 of the Seattle Mariners warms up before a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Peoria Stadium on March 13, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
For those of you who have been clamoring to see Patrick Wisdom, rejoice. Mariners GM Justin Hollander today announced that Rob Refsnyder is headed to the paternity list for the birth of his third child. With the lineup desperately lacking righty hitting, the Mariners are bypassing recently-extended top prospect Colt Emerson for now and instead selecting righty-hitting Patrick Wisdom from Tacoma.
Wisdom, 34, has been off to a hot start to the season, currently leading all of MiLB with nine home runs. A true three true outcome player, Wisdom won’t help the Mariners solve their strikeout issues, but he’s been thumping the ball with regularity in Tacoma and will provide a solid counterpoint to the Luke Raley/Dominic Canzone parts of the lineup. Wisdom’s defensive home is a little more of a challenge, as he’s limited to first base, currently occupied by Josh Naylor, and with outfielder and fellow righty Victor Robles still on the shelf with no timetable for a return, that does make things somewhat dicey defensively.
Meanwhile, Refsnyder will get a mental break after a rough start to his season. The 35-year-old has only gotten in to eight games so far this season, but is still looking for his first hit after being brought in this off-season to balance a lefty-heavy lineup.
Wisdom is not in the lineup tonight as the team faces righty Michael King to open the three-game set with San Diego.
To make room for Wisdom on the 40-man roster, the Mariners DFA’d RHP Blas Castaño. A contact manager more than a strikeout pitcher who stands a generously listed five-foot-ten, Castaño has been with the Mariners since 2024. He’s likely return to Tacoma on waivers unless another team is tempted by his shiny ERA of 1.42.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 13: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals celebrates with third base coach Victor Estevez #7 after hitting a home run in the first inning during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Monday, April 13, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Nationals crashed and burned in the first game of their four game set with the Pirates. However, the great thing about four game series is it allows you to have a clunker. The Nats will look to bounce back tonight. To do so, they will roll with an unusual pitching strategy.
The Nats lineup only has a couple small changes. Brady House is back in the lineup, but he is DH’ing tonight. That means Jorbit Vivas will remain at third. CJ Abrams is moving down from the 3 spot to the 5 hole. Abrams in that 5 spot just gives the lineup so much length. Drew Millas will be behind the plate. The Nats are going to use a few pitchers to try and get through the first six or seven innings. PJ Poulin will open and then a Miles Mikolas and Mitchell Parker tag team will follow him.
For a team that put up 16 runs last night, the Pirates are making quite a few changes. Struggling DH Marcell Ozuna will be back in the lineup. Nick Gonzales will also be in the lineup at the third base spot. Joey Bart will be behind the plate instead of Henry Davis. Mitch Keller is an ultra-reliable righty who is off to a good start this year, and he will get the ball in this one.
Last night was one of those games you just have to flush away. Blowouts happen in baseball, especially when you do not have a great pitching staff. Now it is time to lock back in and even this series. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 05: Starling Marte #0 of the Kansas City Royals bats during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Kauffman Stadium on April 05, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Imagine being the Detroit Tigers: you went out and loaded up on a $200 million payroll. You’re paying five players—Jack Flaherty, Framber Valdez, Gleyber Torres, Javier Baez, and Tarik Skubal—$20 million or more. You expect to win the division, or at least grab a playoff spot. And here we are on April 14 and you’re 7-9, with a slim one-game lead over the Chicago White Sox for last place in the division.
Now, look, going 7-9 in a 16-game stretch is a thing good teams do all the time. It happens in a 162-game season. But starting 7-9 is not fun, as Kansas City Royals fans know, as the Royals are also 7-9, and in largely the same boat as the Tigers sans a $200 million payroll.
Series like these are as important as they come in April. The Royals have a chance to further sink a key divisional rival into a deeper hole. On the other hand, a poor showing would simultaneously lift the Tigers’ record and spirits while further diminishing the Royals’ spots in the standings.
Is Spencer Torkelson going to get anything more than a one-year contract after he becomes a free agent? He had a breakout 2025 but he has, thus far, regressed to his career trajectory, which is basically just “league average.” Of course, the Royals would welcome “league average” out of their first baseman, so who am I to complain here. Starting for the Tigers is Framber Valdez, a good lefty, leading to a weird lineup Royals lineup.
Royals 4/14 lineup
That’s right folks, Lane Thomas is hitting third! Salvador Perez is hitting cleanup, still, but that bumps Vinnie Pasquantino to sixth. Also making an appearance is Starling Marte, who is still on the team.
The Mets have placed right-handed relief pitcher Joey Gerber on the injured list with a right finger blister, and they’ve called up fellow right-handed relief pitcher Austin Warren to take his place on the active roster.
The team hadn’t made a roster move involving a pitcher until it called up Craig Kimbrel and designated Richard Lovelady for assignment on April 11. But Gerber replaced Luis García, who was also designated for assignment, on April 12, and now the bullpen churn continues with this move today.
Gerber threw two scoreless innings in the Mets’ loss to the Dodgers last night, and he struck out five, walked one, and gave up two hits in the process. As a pitcher with options, he will presumably end up back in the minors once his blister has recovered and figures to get called up to the Mets’ active roster again at some point this season.
As for Warren, he started the season in Triple-A Syracuse alongside Gerber. He did log 9.1 innings with the Mets at the major league level last year, and he had a 0.96 ERA and a 3.89 FIP in that tiny sample. He’s put up a 1.23 ERA and a 3.81 FIP in the 7.1 innings that he’s thrown out of the Syracuse bullpen so far this year.
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The NBA Play-In Tournament continues tonight with the first Western Conference matchup, which will determine the No. 7 seed.
The Portland Trail Blazers (42-40) are hoping to end a five-year playoff drought with a win tonight against the Phoenix Suns (45-37). The last time the Trail Blazers appeared in the playoffs was 2021, while the team’s last playoff series win came in 2019.
Phoenix won two of three games against Portland in the regular season, but Portland won the most recent matchup on February 22.
Trail Blazers vs. Suns: what to know
What: NBA Play-In Tournament
When: April 14, 10 p.m. ET
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center (Phoenix, Arizona)
Streaming: Prime Video (try it free)
Both teams in tonight’s Play-In game will have a chance to continue on in the playoffs; the winner will advance directly into the playoff bracket as the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed (to face the Spurs in the first round), while the loser will face off with either the Clippers or Warriors on Friday to determine the No. 8 seed.
Trail Blazers vs. Suns start time:
Tonight’s (April 14) Trail Blazers vs. Suns game tips off at 10:00 p.m. ET.
How to watch Trail Blazers vs. Suns for free:
The NBA Play-In Tournament, including tonight’s Trail Blazers vs. Suns matchup, is streaming exclusively on Prime Video, so you’ll need an Amazon Prime subscription to watch the game.
If you aren’t a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
A marker stands at the original burial place of author Edgar Allen Poe in the Westminster Hall burying ground in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015. Home flippers turned a quick and tidy profit on their real estate investments in Baltimore, Central Florida, and Detroit last quarter, according to a July report by RealtyTrac. Baltimore topped the list among metropolitan statistical areas with at least 50 completed single-family home flips in the first three months of the year. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Bloomberg via Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
ORIOLES
Ketel Marte – 2B
Gunnar Henderson – SS
Corbin Carroll – RF
Taylor Ward – LF
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Pete Alonso – 1B
Jose Fernandez – DH
Samuel Basallo – C
Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
Dylan Beavers – DH
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Leody Taveras – CF
James McCann – C
Colton Cowser – RF
Tim Tawa – LF
Jeremiah Jackson – 2B
Jorge Barrosa – CF
Blaze Alexander – 3B
Merrill Kelly – RHP
Trevor Rogers – LHP
Roster moves
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves. The D-backs’ 40-man roster is at 40.
Reinstated off the 15-day injured list: RHP Merrill Kelly (left intercostal nerve irritation)
Selected from Triple-A Reno: C Aramis Garcia (No. 35)
Placed on the 10-day injured list: C Gabriel Moreno (strained left oblique; retro to April 11)
Transferred to the 60-day injured list: INF Pavin Smith (left elbow inflammation)
Optioned to Reno following last night’s game: RHP Taylor Rashi
The team has finally bitten the bullet on the Gabriel Moreno situation, and called up Garcia to act as a backup to James McCann. Smith moves to the 60-day injured list to make room for Garcia on the 40-man roster.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 01: Trevor Rogers #28 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 01, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After last night’s exhilarating comeback win, it feels inevitable that tonight will be a letdown. But if momentum is the next day’s starting pitcher, maybe not. Because tonight’s starting pitcher is ace Trevor Rogers, who has pitched to a 1.89 ERA in three starts this season.
In his most recent start, Rogers allowed two runs on six hits against the White Sox. He didn’t walk a batter and he struck out six. He walked one and struck out six in his second start of the year. If he wants to do that every single start, that would probably be good. Rogers is on a full week of rest. Will that be a good thing? Again, we will see.
One thing I know is that, after watching Pete Alonso hit that home run last night, I need more. I need him to hit a home run every night. His energy is infectious. I think it made me feel more alive.
Pitching for the Diamondbacks tonight is Merrill Kelly, who will make his season debut after starting the year on the IL. Kelly has been a full-time major leaguer since 2021 and has been pretty good in that time. Last season he had a 3.22 ERA with the D-Backs before being traded to the Rangers at the trade deadline. His Rangers stint wasn’t great, so now he’s back with the D-Backs.
If you are wondering how Orioles manager Craig Albernaz is doing after getting hit with a Jeremiah Jackson foul ball last night, he has a broken jaw and seven cheek fractures. If that were me, I would be in the hospital. Albernaz will be in the dugout tonight and let everyone know his condition at his pre-game press conference. As for Jackson, he gave Albernaz his grand slam ball and signed it, “Sorry, homie.”
Prior to Tuesday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets placed RHP Joey Gerber on the 15-day injured list due to a right finger blister.
In a corresponding move, New York recalled RHP Austin Warren from Triple-A Syracuse.
Gerber, 28, was called up on April 12 when the team designated reliever Luis Garcia for assignment. He was solid in his lone appearance during Monday's loss to the Dodgers, striking out five over 2.0 IP with one walk and two hits allowed.
Over six games in the minors this year, Warren is 1-1 with a 1.23 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and eight strikeouts across 7.1 IP. He's gone 2-for-3 on save opportunities and also has one hold on the season.
Warren went 1-0 in 2025 with the Mets, owning a 0.96 ERA over five appearances and 9.1 IP with nine strikeouts. With the team's bullpen already going through multiple changes already this year, Warren will have the chance to make his mark and help keep up their fifth-best 2.85 team ERA.
Blackhawks prospects Anton Frondell (No. 6), Roman Kantserov (No. 16), Sam Rinzel (No. 34), Nick Lardis (No. 41), Oliver Moore (No. 48), Kevin Korchinski (No. 54), Vaclav Nestrasil (No. 71), and Marek Vanacker (No. 94) all made the cut.
When noting that all these players have good upside, it is not difficult to understand why they have each been featured on Wheeler's rankings. They all have the potential to be important parts of the Blackhawks' future as they continue to develop.
Frondell is already showing his skill at the NHL level, as he has three goals and nine points in 11 games since joining the Blackhawks. This is undoubtedly encouraging to see from the 2025 third-overall pick, as he is making an impact immediately.
While Frondell is the Blackhawks' top prospect at this stage, the other youngsters on this list also could become high-impact players for the Blackhawks soon. It is certainly an exciting time for Blackhawks fans, and it will be fascinating to see how well these prospects develop their games from here.
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski pitches during the first inning of the Opening Day game against the Chicago White Sox on March 26, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers will look to end their five-game losing skid tonight, and they’ll have to do it against the reigning American League champions. On top of that, they’ll have to do it without another one of their top players in Christian Yelich.
The Brewers officially placed Christian Yelich on the 10-day IL on Tuesday with a left adductor strain. His estimated return is mid-to-late May, so 4-6 weeks. The Brewers selected the contract of outfielder Greg Jones to take Yelich’s roster spot. To make room on the 40-man roster, Rob Zastryzny was transferred to the 60-day IL.
“It’s unfortunate. Have had a lot of adversity early. We’ve faced this before. It just seems different in terms of how it’s kind of piled on us,” manager Pat Murphy said. “We say you’re an inch from the top and an inch from the bottom. So here we are. Deal with it. Lot to be learned during this time. A lot to be revealed.”
With Yelich and Jackson Chourio out, Luis Matos will get the start in left field tonight against the Blue Jays. Gary Sánchez will be the DH, and Pat Murphy said Sánchez will likely get a lot of those DH at-bats going forward.
Sal Frelick will be in the leadoff spot tonight for just the second time this season. It’s only the third game where Brice Turang hasn’t been the leadoff hitter. Turang will hit third tonight and may get more chances there going forward with Yelich out.
On the bump, Jacob Misiorowski will be making his fourth start of the season. He has a 3.31 ERA through the first couple of turns in the rotation with 28 strikeouts in 16 1/3 IP. Righty Kevin Gausman is on the mound for Toronto. He has a 2.08 ERA through his first three starts.
First pitch in this one is at 6:40 p.m. CT on Brewers.TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
Saints just three points off second after 3-0 home win
Ipswich slip to 2-0 defeat at battling Portsmouth
Southampton have moved just three points off automatic promotion after a 3-0 victory over Blackburn, coupled with Ipswich’s 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth.
The hosts extended their unbeaten run to 18 games in all competitions with a comprehensive victory at St Mary’s, secured by first-half goals from Cyle Larin and Ryan Manning and a late strike from Cameron Archer.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated by Manny Machado #13 after hitting a home run against the Colorado Rockies during the seventh inning at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres have had quite the turnaround in the last week.
After opening the season with a middling 5-5 record, they’ve gone 5-1 in the six games since, making them the second club to reach 10 wins (behind only the rivals up the freeway).
That turnaround was capped off by a four-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies. They finished that off today with a 7-2 bludgeoning of the Rox.
The only problem with today’s game was starter Nick Pivetta’s early exit. After pitching a perfect game through three-plus innings, he left with the athletic trainer looking visibly distraught. The Friars are optimistic about his condition but are unsure.
The Padres will have their work cut out for them against the Seattle Mariners. The Seattle pitching staff has been fantastic in spite of their floundering offense. They’ve allowed only 56 runs, the third-lowest mark in the American League behind only the New York Yankees (44) and the Texas Rangers (55).
The San Diego offense has been hot lately, wrecking Colorado’s pitching for 28 runs across the four-game series. If they can solve the Mariners tonight, it’ll say a great deal more about the health of this offense against a top-tier starter group.
Taking the mound
Bryan Woo (SEA) v. Michael King (SD)
Woo has been an ace for the Mariners in recent years, and he’s continued that so far this season with a 1.50 ERA across 18 innings. In that time, he’s only allowed 10 hits and three runs (all earned).
In that time he’s struck out 17 batters and walked only four. All of that has led to an unbelievably low 0.78 WHIP. If Woo keeps that up tonight against San Diego, it’ll be a difficult game for the Friar Faithful.
In spite of that line, he’s yet to pick up a win due to a struggling Seattle offense. King will look to limit that offense even more than they already have been. He had a vintage first outing against the Detroit Tiger but struggled in his last two starts, giving up six runs across 11 2/3 innings of work.
He’s been decent, but if King can truly return to form then it’ll be a fascinating pitcher’s duel for Petco Park to watch.
Batter up!
The Padres seem to have found their leadoff man. Ramón Laureano belted his (team-leading) fourth home run of the season on Sunday’s win over Colorado. He’ll likely be back in the leadoff spot tonight.
Ty France had a fantastic 3-for-3 day in the Rockies finale but will probably be back on the bench tonight in favor of Gavin Sheets at first base.
Miguel Andujar or Nick Castellanos in the DH slot. Andujar has more experience against Woo, so he’ll more likely be in that role.
Ramón Laureano, LF
Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Gavin Sheets, DH
Ty France, 1B
Luis Campusano, C
Jake Cronenworth, 2B
After plenty of fun watching Tatis return to the infield in a pinch to give Bogaerts and Cronenworth days off, he’ll likely return back to his corner in right field. It’s felt like something was missing without him in the outfield, so it’ll be good to have him back for a Mariners lineup with some pop.
Campusano seems likely to return to the lineup after Freddy Fermin got back-to-back starts. Campy had a fantastic start on Friday night with a double and a home run before sitting on the bench since then. Hopefully he’ll return tonight and add to his recent production.
Relief corps
With Pivetta’s early exit, San Diego relied on their stout bullpen depth. Kyle Hart covered two innings quite well before struggling in the sixth. David Morgan came in and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Wandy Peralta and Bradgley Rodriguez finished it off in the eighth and ninth innings. Rodriguez put to bed any worries about his shaky performance Saturday night with two strikeouts in the ninth.
That leaves Jason Adam, Ron Marinaccio, Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller for a save situation. Aside from Marinaccio, the group are all high-leverage options that will befit the probable pitcher’s duel awaiting tonight.
Scott Wheeler has released his latest top 100 drafted NHL prospect rankings for The Athletic. With the Montreal Canadiens having one of the strongest prospect pools in the league, it is not surprising in the slightest that four of their prospects have made the cut: Michael Hage, Alexander Zharovsky, David Reinbacher, and Bryce Pickford.
Hage was given the No. 11 spot by Wheeler, and it is not difficult to understand why. The 2024 first-round pick had a spectacular sophomore season with the University of Michigan, as he recorded 13 goals and 52 points in 39 games. With numbers like these, there is no question that the 6-foot-1 center has the potential to become a high-impact player for Montreal.
Zharovsky landed the No. 17 spot on Wheeler's rankings. The 19-year-old winger's placement also makes sense, as he had a big rookie year in the KHL with Salavat Yulayev Ufa this season. In 59 games with the KHL club, he had 16 goals and 42 points.
Reinbacher picked up the No. 35 spot on Wheeler's rankings. The 2023 fifth-overall pick has the potential to become a nice part of the Canadiens' blueline in the future and has shown promise this campaign. He recorded an assist in his recent NHL debut for Montreal and has five goals and 24 points in 57 AHL games with the Laval Rocket this season.
As for Pickford, he just made Wheeler's rankings by picking up the No. 98 spot. The 2025 third-overall pick had a special regular season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, as the 6-foot-1 defenseman had 45 goals and 83 points in 55 games. He also has five goals and eight points in eight playoff games.
The Buffalo Sabres capped off a remarkable turnaround with their 50th victory of the season and clinching top spot in the Atlantic Division with a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Tage Thompson scored twice and reach the 40-goal mark for the third time in four seasons, and with the victory, Buffalo will have home-ice advantage in the first and second round, and could have it in the Eastern Conference Final if they play anyone other than the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Sabres first round opponent is as yet undetermined, as the Boston Bruins lead the Ottawa Senators by a point with one game to go. The Bruins play the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden on Tuesday, and with a win of any kind would clinch the top wildcard spot and Buffalo as their first round opponent. If the fall to the Devils in regulation, overtime, or a shootout, the Senators could jump over them into the first wildcard with a victory at home over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Buffalo lost three of four matchups against Boston this season, 3-1 in Boston on October 11, 4-3 in overtime at TD Garden on October 30, and 4-3 in overtime at KeyBank Center on March 25. The Sabres only win, 4-1, came at home on December 27. Against Ottawa, Buffalo went 2-1; an 8-4 win at home on October 15, and a 3-2 overtime victory in Kanata on December 23. Their only loss, 4-1, came earlier this month at Canadian Tire Center.
It means a lot. Division champions from where we came from in December, I'm going to enjoy this hat for one day. I'm going to work on the next hat.
What got you to this point?
I think the leadership of all our guys, you start with (Dahlin), (Thompson) and (Tuch) and all those guys. You look at a game like tonight with Tommer getting a couple and Tucky getting a big goal, and then the (penalty) killing. The season has been a total team effort. We've got a guy that blocked a shot laying on the ice, and he's almost stacking his legs trying to block another shot while he's trying to get off the ice. It's been that willingness to do whatever you can to win a hockey game.
What does home-ice advantage and the level of excitement in Buffalo for Game 1 mean to you?
It's been a long time coming. It's been too long but to have home ice secured. I think we talked a lot about being a playoff team. We didn't talk much about winning a division or winning our conference, but to be division champions, and we get to start at home, (it's) great for our guys, great for our team, great for our fans and awesome for the city.
When did you think that this turnaround was for real?
I think that 10-game winning streak (in December) put a lot of confidence in the team that we could win a lot of hockey games and get back in it. I think that was the start of it. The fact that we bounced right back after a loss and put a lot of wins together again right after that. Just playing good hockey for a long period of time from December on.
What did you like about Tage Thompson’s game?
Everything about his game, (he's had) a little struggle of late. I think there's been a few games where the energy has been a little bit low, but I thought tonight we got his A plus game, and I think his energy level is back to where it needs to be. We know what he can do when he's at the top of his game……He went through a couple weeks of the Olympics and big celebration after, and then he joined us right away in Florida. I've talked to him several times. I think just a lot of that caught up. That was part of him not practicing a couple of those times. I said, 'whatever you need to take off to get the energy back where it needs to be. If you didn't take a game off. Well, go get your game off.' But he wanted to play, and I think he's worked his way through it.
The Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres have met eight times in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and these teams have given hockey fans plenty of memorable moments.
Brad Park’s series-winning goal in Game 7 of the 1983 Adams Division Final and Brad May’s thrilling OT goal to eliminate the B’s in the 1993 Adams Division semifinals (with Rick Jeanneret’s legendary call) are just two examples of the thrilling hockey this rivalry can produce.
The latest chapter will be written over the next few weeks when the Atlantic Division champion Sabres battle the Bruins (first wild card team) in a best-of-seven first-round series.
The Sabres are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 (when they lost to the B’s in Round 1), ending the NHL’s longest postseason drought. The Bruins saw their eight-year playoff appearance streak end last season, but it only took one year for them to be back in the tournament.
Which of these teams has the upper hand in this first-round matchup? Check out our full preview below.
Series schedule
Game 1 at Buffalo: TBA
Game 2 at Buffalo: TBA
Game 3 at Boston: TBA
Game 4 at Boston: TBA
Game 5* at Buffalo: TBA
Game 6* at Boston: TBA
Game 7* at Buffalo: TBA
*If necessary
Regular season head-to-head
Oct. 11 at Boston: Bruins 3-1
Oct. 30 at Boston: Bruins 4-3 in OT
Dec. 27 at Buffalo: Sabres 4-1
March 25 at Buffalo: Bruins 4-3 in OT
Tale of the Tape
Here’s how the Bruins and Sabres compare in several important stats (all from even-strength play, except the power play and penalty kill) from the regular season. NHL rank in parentheses.
Note: The Sabres’ final regular season game is Wednesday, April 15.
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The Bruins win the series if…
All four lines contribute.
The Bruins can’t be a top-heavy lineup and expect to beat a Sabres team that has loads of scoring depth.
The Sabres had 13 players score 10-plus goals and 10 players reach 40-plus points. The B’s had 10 players score 10 or more goals and seven players hit 40-plus points.
The Bruins have been a little more reliant on the top of their lineup, specifically David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, to score goals and create scoring chances for teammates. The B’s don’t need to worry about Pastrnak showing up. He has scored 11 goals with five assists in 21 games over his last three first-round series. He also has scored in each of his last three Game 7s. He has 87 points in 90 career playoff games.
The question is whether the B’s will get enough offensive production from their bottom-six forwards. Before the final two games of the regular season, many of these bottom-six guys hadn’t provided much offense since the Olympic break in February.
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The Bruins need two or three of these players to provide a bit of a spark offensively in Round 1. Maybe one of those players is James Hagens, the team’s top prospect, who played well over the final two games of the regular season.
Stepping up in the playoffs is a lot to ask of a 19-year-old rookie, but Hagens has an elite offensive skill set and could make a positive impact scoring-wise, both at even strength and the power play.
The Sabres win the series if…
Buffalo’s PK remains elite.
The key matchup in this series might be the Bruins power play versus the Sabres penalty kill. Both of these teams ranked top 10 in even-strength goals scored. Therefore, an effective power play could be enough to tip the scale in either team’s favor.
The Bruins power play showed tremendous improvement for the first five months of the season and ranked third-best in the league entering the Olympic break. But since the Olympic break, the B’s have converted on just 16.2 percent of their man-advantage situations, which ranked 27th among 32 teams over that span.
The Sabres have a top-tier penalty kill that ranked fourth-best in success rate this season. If that unit can shut down the Bruins power play, Buffalo will have a strong chance to win the series.
Players to watch
Morgan Geekie, left wing, Bruins
Geekie led the Bruins with a career-high 39 goals, and he recently ended a 17-game scoring drought with a hat trick against the Hurricanes on April 7. He has five goals in his last four games.
Can he keep up that pace in Round 1? Is his slump officially over? It’s hard to imagine the Bruins winning this series if Geekie is close to a non-factor offensively.
McAvoy took his performance to another level this season with a career-high 61 points (10 goals, 51 assists) in 69 games. He also led the team with 24:28 time on ice per game, while playing the second-most power-play time and most penalty kill time.
McAvoy drives offense at a high rate and shuts down the opposing team’s top forwards. He also sets the tone with crushing hits, and he’s never afraid to put his body on the line to block shots. A huge series for McAvoy would go a long way in helping the Bruins get to Round 2.
Tage Thompson, center, Sabres
Thompson is a force offensively at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. He leads the Sabres with 40 goals and 81 points. He’s also played well against the Bruins in his career with 18 points in 31 career games, including five points in four matchups versus Boston this season.
Thompson has not scored in five of his last six games. Can he engineer a turnaround against the Bruins? The Sabres really need it.
Dahlin is the Sabres captain and one of the best players at his position. You could even make a case he deserves to win the Norris Trophy. Dahlin is an excellent defensive player, he battles, he plays in all situations and he defends against the opponent’s top players. His offensive skill is elite, too, evidenced by his 74 points (sixth-most among all defensemen).
Buffalo’s top pairing of Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson ranked ninth in goals scored percentage (61.3) among all pairings with 350-plus minutes together, per MoneyPuck.
Dahlin will be asked to create scoring chances and shut down Pastrnak’s line. If he’s successful at both, the Sabres will advance to Round 2.
Goalie breakdown
Jeremy Swayman, Bruins
Even though Swayman has struggled a bit of late, he was one of the best goalies in the league this season and could be a Vezina Trophy finalist. He went 31-18-4 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.76 GAA. He ranked No. 2 in both goals saved above expected (26.4) and wins above replacement (4.40), per MoneyPuck. Swayman is the No. 1 reason why the Bruins made it back to the playoffs.
He is the best and most experienced goalie in this series. The last time we saw Swayman in the playoffs was 2024 when he posted a league-best .933 save percentage in 13 games through two rounds. He dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs in his most recent first-round series.
Swayman played a lot down the stretch, but overall he had a normal No. 1 goalie workload of 54 starts.
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Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Sabres
Luukkonen and Alex Lyon both played really well for the Sabres this season and helped Buffalo rank eighth in even-strength save percentage. Lyon has been dealing with a lower body injury and hasn’t played since April 4.
Luukkonen has played six of the last eight games and put up better stats than Lyon this season, so he could get the start in Game 1. Luukkonen tallied an impressive .910 save percentage and a 2.52 GAA in 36 appearances. But unlike Swayman, Luukkonen has zero playoff experience.
How will he handle the pressure of the postseason? Luukkonen did play well against the B’s this season, earning a 1-0-1 record and a .907 save percentage in two starts.
Prediction
Bruins in six games.
There’s no doubt the Sabres have a ton of talent and depth. Buffalo having home-ice advantage is meaningful as well, and the atmosphere at KeyBank Center for the Sabres’ first playoff series in 16 years will be electric.
Boston’s advantage in postseason experience and goaltending is a huge factor, though. Swayman was arguably the league’s top netminder this season, and we’ve seen him play at a very high level in the playoffs before. The Bruins’ two best skaters — David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy — have a combined 181 career playoff appearances.
This will be a very intense, physical and exciting series. If the Bruins steal one of the first two games, they should be in good shape.
