BOSTON – Almost six minutes into Friday’s third period, with the Sabres clinging to a 2-1 lead and trying to close out their first-round series, winger Josh Doan and two Bruins took off down the ice when the puck slid out of the Buffalo zone.
After zooming past the Boston blue line, Doan moved between Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak as the puck approached the left side of the end boards.
As Pastrnak tied up Doan, McAvoy took a swipe at the puck and missed, allowing Doan, who heard linemate Zach Benson calling for the puck, to backhand the puck to the front of the net as Pastrnak slammed him into the boards.
Benson quickly beat goalie Jeremy Swayman alone in the slot at 5:58, restoring the Sabres’ two-goal lead and putting Game 6 and the series out of reach for the Bruins.
Following the goal, Benson and his teammates skated to Doan, helped him get up off the ice and celebrated.
“There’s a chance you’re getting hit pretty hard there, but, yeah, you got to find a way to get a puck through there to Benny,” Doan said of his assist after the Sabres advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2007. “That’s a big-time play, a big-time goal there.”
The affable Doan was referring to Benson shooting the puck into the top corner of the net, not his tenacious effort to create the goal.
“What an effort by Doan on a 50-50 (battle), keeping his feet moving and finding Benny, and great shot by Benson finding the top corner,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said in TD Garden. “That was a big goal at that time of the game. I thought we started the third period just a little bit nervous. We didn’t handle the puck well. I thought if we could get a couple of opportunities and get the third goal, we would loosen up.”
In his first season in Buffalo, Doan, who arrived in the trade that sent winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth, has become a fan favorite for making dogged plays like he did at a critical moment in Friday’s win.
“It’s funny, Doaner and I always talk about takeaways and just winning the stick battles and trying to get body position, and he made an unbelievable play to find (Benson),” Sabres winger Alex Tuch said. “… Doaner, he’s a dog. He just loves hunting the puck, creating turnovers. Unbelievable player.”
Josh Doan takes a hard hit to make a play out front to Benson, who is all alone, 3-1 #LetsGoBuffalo #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/45iQsifOIT
— Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) May 2, 2026