Sabres' return to playoffs begins with stunning Game 1 comeback win

Buffalo Sabres fans waited 14 years to watch their team in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and for the first 52 minutes of their return game against the Boston Bruins on Sunday night, it was a frustrating experience.

The Sabres trailed by two goals, could not beat Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman and were even getting booed for how bad the power play looked in its few chances to get back in the game.

And then Tage Thompson happened.

Thompson scored two goals in under four minutes to tie the game, setting the stage for defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to score the go-ahead with under four minutes to play in regulation, helping send the Sabres to a stunning 4-3 come-from-behind win. 

Tage Thompson helps carry Sabres to stunning comeback win

Thompson has been the focal point of Buffalo's turnaround and over the past four years has developed into one of the best offensive players in the league. Given his rare combination of size, speed and skill, he is capable of changing a game at any moment and did exactly that on Sunday.

Before Thompson scored his first goal, which was a really slick play around the net to sneak the puck in around Swayman, the vibes in the building were a complete 180 from what they were at the start.

The excitement was gone. Nervous anxiety and frustrating were setting in.

The Sabres seemed to have no answer for solving Swayman despite throwing everything they could at him. 

But as soon as Thompson scored that goal, everything changed back in Buffalo's favor. The forecheck wore down the Bruins defense, Swayman suddenly looked shaky and the Sabres just kept building on the momentum and leaning on the Bruins until the dam fully broke.

When Samuelsson scored his goal, it produced what might be one of the loudest crowd pops of the playoffs.