Alex Tuch scored against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on April 13, 2026, and Tage Thompson added the 39th and 40th goals of his season as the Buffalo Sabres wrapped up a night that sent them back to the playoffs.
Thompson’s two-goal push gave Buffalo the kind of finishing touch that has been missing in recent seasons, and it came in the same game in which Tuch found the net. For the Sabres, the result was bigger than one win: Lindy Ruff has led Buffalo back to the playoffs, a turnabout that gives the franchise a postseason foothold again after years away.
The matchup at United Center mattered because it was the one that sealed the return. Buffalo had already built a strong season, but the game on April 13 turned the math into a certainty and tied the night to two landmarks for Thompson, whose 39th and 40th goals underscored how much he has driven the offense. The club had entered the stretch chasing more than a single result, with Buffalo Sabres Score Clinch Playoff Berth, Keep Division Title Chance reflecting the stakes around the finish and Buffalo Sabres Enter Sabres Schedule Tied for First with 100 Points showing how high the team had climbed before this final push.
The tension now is less about whether Buffalo is in and more about what this version of the team can do once it gets there. Ruff has already delivered the obvious first step by getting the Sabres back into the field, but the goals from Tuch and Thompson also point to a deeper question about whether Buffalo can carry enough scoring into the next stage to make the return mean more than a brief appearance.
