Sabres Secure Atlantic Division Championship Title
The Buffalo Sabres clinched the Atlantic Division with a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Sabres Secure Atlantic Division Championship Title and will carry home-ice advantage into the first playoff round.
The clinching game
Buffalo defeated Chicago 5-1 to lock up the division. Tage Thompson scored twice, registering his 39th and 40th goals of the season.
Playoff implications
The Sabres will host their first-round series. Their opponent will be the top wild card, currently between Boston and Ottawa.
Boston holds the wild-card spot by a single point. Both Boston and Ottawa have one regular-season game remaining.
Season turnaround
The division crown caps a dramatic recovery this year. Buffalo sat last in the Eastern Conference in December.
A 10-game winning streak ignited the run. The team won 39 of its last 52 games.
Franchise milestones and standings
Buffalo reached 50 wins for only the third time in franchise history. The club previously hit that mark in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
The current team finished the regular season with 108 points. Only four Sabres teams have posted more points historically.
Atlantic Division context
The Atlantic was unusually deep this season. Five clubs in the division finished with at least 96 points.
Notably, the division’s sixth-place team, Detroit, would top the Pacific Division standings at present. Buffalo’s division title is the franchise’s seventh overall.
The Sabres’ last division crown came in 2009-10, when they played in the Northeast Division. The Atlantic Division took its current shape in 2013-14 after NHL realignment.
Looking ahead
Buffalo closes the regular season at home on Wednesday against the Dallas Stars. The game is Fan Appreciation Night at KeyBank Center.
Filmogaz.com will provide further coverage and analysis as the playoffs approach.
