I say (write?) this with all sincerity: I can’t wait for there to be playoff hockey in Buffalo. Blackhawks fans know what being bad for a long time feels like, and the joy of rising from those ashes. The Sabres have a terrific fan base and I hope they get a lot of fun hockey this spring.
The first period was another microcosm of a lot of this season for the Blackhawks. They played 19 minutes about as well as you could ask, holding the Sabres to five shots on net and grabbing a lead off a terrific defensive play. But a turnover in a bad spot and a great shot form a highly skilled forward (Josh Norris) took the two teams to the first intermission tied at one.
And then the wheels came off. In the second period, the Sabres looked like a team on the verge of winning a division title playing against a team that will have the second-best odds of winning the draft lottery. They scored once and out-shot the Blackhawks 12-4 in the period.
The Blackhawks had 73 seconds of a 5-on-3 and opted to pass the puck in a circle instead of generating shots. They did nothing with the advantage(s) and there were boos (booze?) as they ended empty. Buffalo took a two-goal lead soon after. There was zero pushback and the effort was flat. A depressing performance.
Star 1: Ryan Greene
Going to the penalty kill less than four minutes into the game — not ideal. Greene scoring a short-handed goal 14 seconds into the PK? Fabulous. The first career short-handed goal for Greene with a nice assist to Ilya Mikheyev.
GOAL: Ryan Greene with a shorthanded goal to open the scoring. pic.twitter.com/Nv6zrQ3t7k
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) April 14, 2026Star 2: Ethan Del Mastro
Del Mastro played another really good game. Thru two periods, he had the best shot attempt percentage on the Blackhawks’ roster at 5-on-5 (8 for, 4 against (66.67) in 9:37 on ice). He was also the only Blackhawks skater with more than two shot attempts of his own at even strength thru two periods (he had four).
Star 3: Ilya Mikheyev
Another assist for Mikheyev tonight extends his career-high point total. He’s been really good all year.
Key Takeaways
Anton Frondell didn’t extend his personal point streak at the United Center, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. He was credited with almost one-third of the Blackhawks’ shots on net (5 of 16). Can I interest you in Bedard throwing a huge reverse hit on Bowen Byram in the second period?Bedard throws a big reverse hit: pic.twitter.com/L8xanqwft5
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) April 14, 2026 The power play was infuriatingly awful tonight. Zero sense of urgency. Zero clean passes. Zero focus. There was nothing redeeming from that unit tonight. Just bad. Louis Crevier has had better nights. Frank Nazar lost a few front teeth on Saturday evening. He changed the configuration of his facial protection on his bucket between the first and second periods. Nazar had a good night at the dot. Dominic Toninato got into a game before the end of the season, dressing in place of Sacha Boisvert. He had the Blackhawks’ only 5-on-5 high danger scoring chance in the first period.Hence then, the article about blackhawks 1 sabres 5 three stars key takeaways was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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