The Buffalo Sabres (35-36-6) earned a 3-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes (46-27-4) on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center, extending their win streak to five games.
Despite a strong push late in the season, winning 10 of their last 13, the Sabres were officially eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the evening when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1.
With the elimination, Buffalo’s NHL-record playoff drought stretches to 14 consecutive years. Their last postseason appearance came in 2011, and in that span, every other team, including the expansion franchise Seattle Kraken, has played in at least 14 playoff games.
James Reimer was outstanding in net, stopping all 33 shots he faced to earn his first shutout with Buffalo. Tage Thompson stayed red hot, scoring his 44th goal of the season to give the Sabres a lead in the second period. It was his fifth straight game with a goal and his eighth during that stretch.
Alex Tuch contributed with a short-handed goal, his sixth of the season which leads the league, and JJ Peterka closed out the scoring with a one-timer early in the third period.
The Sabres will begin their final road trip of the season on Thursday when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].