The Buffalo Sabres fell to the Dallas Stars, 4-3 in a shootout, on Wednesday night at KeyBank Center, closing out the regular season with their first shootout loss of the year. Buffalo, which entered the night as the 2025-26 Atlantic Division champions, finished the season with 109 points, the fifth-highest total in franchise history, and now turns its focus to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With the division already secured and a first-round matchup set, the Sabres opted to rest several key players, including Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson. Even with a reshuffled lineup, Buffalo competed in a back-and-forth game that featured multiple lead changes. Zach Benson provided a highlight, scoring his first career short-handed goal while logging time on the penalty kill, showcasing the team’s aggressive approach even when down a man. Josh Norris also continued his strong finish, scoring to extend his point streak to six games as he builds momentum heading into the postseason.
In the shootout, Norris and Jack Quinn converted for Buffalo, but Alex Tuch and Josh Doan were turned aside as Dallas capitalized with three goals to secure the win. The Sabres had been among the league’s most effective teams in shootouts this season, making the result a rare blemish in an otherwise strong campaign.
Despite the loss, the game provided valuable opportunities for depth players to gain ice time ahead of the playoffs, with several stepping into larger roles as the team prioritized health.
The Sabres will begin their first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday at KeyBank Center.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.
