The Buffalo Sabres wrap up the 2025-26 regular season when they face the Dallas Stars on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at KeyBank Center.
For the first time since 2011, Game 82 doesn’t mean goodbye until October, because the Atlantic Division-champion Sabres are gearing up for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game 1 against the Boston Bruins will be either Saturday or Sunday on home ice.
“I’m really proud of this group,” Alex Tuch said. “We worked really hard to attain that goal, but the work’s not over. … We want more, and we’re hungry. That’s all that matters to us: what’s next.”
Before that next challenge, however, it’s Fan Appreciation Night at the arena, headlined by a Tage Thompson bobblehead giveaway, special concessions and Sabres store discounts, award announcements and more. Full details
Sabres fans have been filling KeyBank Center to capacity since January and making it a hostile environment for visiting teams. They’ve also traveled well, with “Let’s go Buffalo” chants popping up in arenas across North America. Home crowds will play a massive role in the playoffs, so Wednesday is an opportunity for the team to say thanks.
“It’s unbelievable, the type of support we’ve had here this year,” captain Rasmus Dahlin said Monday after a healthy dose of Sabres fans celebrated the division title in Chicago. “They’re real passionate fans, and it seems like they’re everywhere right now, so it’s unbelievable. It just keeps us pushing harder every day.”
Here are the details before puck drop.
