Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) celebrates his goal with teammates as Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (27) skates past during the third period in Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke, right, knocks Buffalo Sabres left wing Beck Malenstyn (29) to the ice during the first period in Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman drops to the ice on a goal by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram during the second period in Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, right, is congratulated by Owen Power (25) after his goal during the second period in Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) celebrates his goal with teammates as Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (27) skates past during the third period in Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
CAK
Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke, right, knocks Buffalo Sabres left wing Beck Malenstyn (29) to the ice during the first period in Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
CAK
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman drops to the ice on a goal by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram during the second period in Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
CAK
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, right, is congratulated by Owen Power (25) after his goal during the second period in Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
BOSTON (AP) — Bowen Byram scored a minute after Boston missed a penalty shot, and Alex Tuch broke a third-period tie to help Buffalo come from behind and beat the Bruins 3-1 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.
Alex Lyon stopped 24 shots in his first start of the postseason and the Sabres, who snapped an by winning the Atlantic Division, regained home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Sunday in Boston, with the Bruins needing a win to assure themselves of another home game.
Jeremy Swayman made 25 saves, and Tanner Jeannot scored early in the second period for the Bruins as they opened the scoring for the third straight game.Â
Boston had a chance to go up 2-0 when Mattias Samuelsson’s stick broke right in front of the Buffalo net, for a turnover that gave Viktor Arvidsson an open lane on the net. Rasmus Dahlin took him down, leading to a penalty shot.
But Arvidsson shot wide.
About a minute later, Byram one-timed a shot past Swayman to tie it. Tuch made it 2-1 when he grabbed a loose puck and fired it past a screened goalie, and Noah Ostlund added an empty-netter with 84 seconds left.
The teams split the first two games in Buffalo, with Boston taking the lead both times before Buffalo rallied in the last half of the third period. In Game 1, but they were too far back after a 4-0 deficit in Game 2 and .
The early struggles doomed Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to backup. He won the playoff starting job by closing the regular season 12-2-1 but was pulled after allowing the fourth goal early in the third period on Tuesday night.
Lyon went 20-10-4 during the season.
Buffalo continued to struggle on the power play. After failing to score on their last 22 chances in the regular season, the Sabres have misfired on their first 13 man advantages in the series, including four on Thursday night.
Up next
Game 4 is Sunday before the series shifts back to Buffalo for Game 5 on Tuesday night.Â
