CHICAGO (AP) — First, the Buffalo Sabres stopped their long playoff drought. Then, Alex Tuch & Co. won the Atlantic Division.
They have no intention of stopping now.
Buffalo is aiming high after a 5-1 victory at Chicago on Monday night secured the franchise's first division title since the 2009-10 season and seventh overall. The Sabres became the fifth team in NHL history to clinch a division crown after overcoming a standings deficit of eight or more points.
“It feels really good, but we've got a bigger goal in mind,” Tuch said. “So, get some good momentum going into the playoffs. It doesn't mean anything if you don't lift the ultimate trophy at the end of the year.”
Buffalo (50-23-8) has never won the Stanley Cup. The team finished seventh in the Atlantic Division last season, but this group of Sabres has been on a roll since December.
With Tuch and Tage Thompson leading the way, the Sabres cruised past the Blackhawks to improve to 39-9-4 in their last 52 games. They reached 50 wins for the third time in club history, also accomplishing the feat in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
“The season has been a total team effort,” said coach Lindy Ruff, who is in his second stint with the Sabres.
Buffalo clinched a playoff spot on April 4. The previous playoff appearance for the franchise was in 2011, when it was eliminated by Philadelphia in seven games in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
The 14 straight seasons of futility was an NHL record and one of the longest active streaks among the four major North American sports, ranking second behind the NFL’s New York Jets, who last qualified for the playoffs in 2010.
“Unbelievable job by our group,” Thompson said. “From December on, getting us to the place we're at right now. Home ice is a huge advantage in the playoffs, and being able to give these fans that is something pretty special to me and all the rest of the guys in here, 'cause of what they've been through.”
Thompson scored twice in the victory over Chicago, and Tuch had a goal and an assist. The 28-year-old Thompson, who helped the U.S. win the gold medal at the Olympics, reached 40 goals for the second straight season and third overall.
“It definitely means a lot,” Thompson said. “You set goals for yourself. You set goals as a team, and certainly you do as individuals as well. That's always a place that I want to try to get to and feel I am capable of. When you get close or you get it once or twice, you just want to keep pushing the envelope and see how much more you can get.”
Thompson leads Buffalo with 40 goals and 81 points, but he has received plenty of help. Tuch has 32 goals and 33 assists, and captain Rasmus Dahlin has a team-high 55 assists. Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 22-9-3 with a 2.52 goals-against average after making 15 stops against the Blackhawks.
The Sabres were in the mix for the top spot in the Eastern Conference before Carolina secured the position by earning a point in a shootout loss at Philadelphia.
The Sabres host Dallas on Wednesday night in their regular-season finale. After that, it's the first round of the playoffs against Boston or Ottawa.
“It's kind of hard to celebrate now knowing we have unbelievable challenges in front of us here," Dahlin said. "Now we're just going to switch focus to the playoffs. We have to get ready, that's for sure.”
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