Sabres Clinch Playoffs, Snap NHL's Longest Drought

The Buffalo Sabres clinched an NHL playoff berth on Saturday with the New York Rangers' 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. The berth marks Buffalo's first postseason appearance since 2011 and ends the longest playoff drought in league history.

The Sabres endured 14 seasons of struggles before this turnaround, posting more than 90 points in a season just once. They frequently landed high draft picks, including the Nos. 1 and 2 selections twice and top-10 choices in 11 drafts.

Buffalo opened this season with an 11-14-4 record through late November. The team then won 10 straight games, starting with a victory over the Edmonton Oilers. After the third win in that streak, the Sabres fired general manager Kevyn Adams and hired Jarmo Kekäläinen, who has overseen a 32-8-4 mark since—the best in the NHL.

The Sabres hold 100 points and sit tied for first in the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning, though Buffalo has played one more game. Montreal trails in third with 98 points. Buffalo faces the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night to solidify its playoff seeding.