New York. The Buffalo Sabers season is over.
They lost tonight’s primary game against the New Jersey Devils, thus obviously missing out on the playoffs.
“I’m bitter that we didn’t make it to the playoffs, but I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come as a team,” says veteran Kyle Okposo after losing 6-2, which at least theoretically makes full-back Rasmus Dahlin available for Tre Kronor WC.
In the end, Buffalo had a very small chance to pinch one of the last open spots in the NHL’s eastern table – now it does not exist at all.
After battling to victory over the New York Rangers in Manhattan on Easter Monday, they were unable to keep up with the hungry Newark Devils, falling 2-0 and eventually being beaten 6-2.
– It’s a huge disappointment, bittersweet that we couldn’t do it when we got so close, says veteran Kyle Okposo.
– But at the same time, I am very proud of what we have achieved and what we have achieved. We really are a team and we know what it takes to be successful.
They’ll come through no matter what, given the huge amount of young talent that has accumulated in the organisation – now complemented by the late addition of young goalkeeper Devon Levy.
Whether Rasmus Dahlen wanted, could and was allowed to play WC with Tre Kronor is unknown, but with the loss of the night he, like Viktor Olofsson, became theoretically available.
Jesper Boqvist scored one of the home team’s goals at The Rock and Mattias Samuelsson one of the visitors’ goals. Meanwhile, Devils superstar Jack Hughes – who also saw younger brother Luke make his debut – broke a new club record with his 97th point, in the form of a goal played by Jesper Pratt.
