Bruins-Sabres NHL playoff schedule for 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs released. When Boston and Buffalo will play.

After a year away, the Boston Bruins are back in the postseason. They'll take on the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, a team experiencing the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

The Bruins earned their spot in the postseason with 100 points and the No. 1 wild card. The Sabres, meanwhile, racked up 109 points to win the Atlantic Division.

Buffalo is ending a 14-year playoff drought, which was the longest in the NHL. Boston missed the postseason last year for the first time since 2016.

Bruins NHL playoff schedule

Here's a look at the schedule for the first round series.

Game 1: Bruins at Sabres, Sunday, April 19, 7:30 p.m, at KeyBank Center
Game 2: Bruins at Sabres, Tuesday, April 21,7:30 p.m. at KeyBank Center
Game 3: Sabres at Bruins, Thursday, April 23, 7 p.m. at TD Garden
Game 4: Sabres at Bruins, Sunday, April 26, 2 p.m. at TD Garden
Game 5: Bruins at Sabres, Tuesday, April 28, time TBD at KeyBank Center*
Game 6: Sabres at Bruins, Friday, May 1, time TBD at TD Garden*
Game 7: Bruins at Sabres, Sunday, May 3, time TBD at KeyBank Center*

*If necessary  

Bruins vs. Sabres

The Bruins found success against the Sabres this year, winning three of the four games the two teams played.

In October, Boston won games by scores of 3-1 and 4-3. The second game ended in overtime with Marat Khusnutdinov scoring in the extra session.

The teams didn't play again until December 27, when Buffalo earned a 4-1 win.

On March 25, the Bruins won the final matchup between the two teams as Pavel Zacha netted an overtime goal.