Ottawa Senators' Dylan Cozens (24), back left, celebrates his goal with teammates as Buffalo Sabres' Rasmus Dahlin (26) skates past during second period NHL hockey action in Ottawa on Thursday, April 2, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

By The Canadian Press

Senators move into wild-card spot, prevent Sabres from clinching in 4-1 win

Apr 2, 2026 | 7:03 PM

OTTAWA — Lars Eller scored the winner at 5:55 of the third period and Linus Ullmark made 21 saves as the Ottawa Senators gave life to their playoff hopes with a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.

Dylan Cozens also scored while Ridley Greig and Shane Pinto added empty-net goals as the Senators (39-26-10) moved back into the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Greig provided an assist on Cozens’ goal for a two-point night.

Ottawa’s victory prevented Buffalo (46-22-8) from clinching its first playoff berth since 2011, the longest drought in the NHL.

Mattias Samuelsson scored the lone goal for the Sabres and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 20 shots.

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Eller gave the Senators a 2-1 lead by tipping Artem Zub’s shot for his fifth of the season.

The Sabres pulled Luukkonen with 2:39 remaining and Greig iced the game 21 seconds later before Pinto added a second empty-netter.

Buffalo opened the scoring midway through the second period when Samuelsson beat Ullmark glove side with a wrist shot from the top of the circle.

Ottawa tied it with former Sabre Cozens tipping a Brady Tkachuk shot from in close.

A scoreless first provided plenty of action.

Their blue line already depleted, the Senators lost defenceman Tyler Kleven six minutes into the game after he exited from a Bowen Byram shot to the face.

Tkachuk was assessed a penalty from the bench after slashing Beck Malenstyn. The Senators captain later dropped the gloves with towering defenceman Logan Stanley.

Takeaways

Senators: Managed to hold off the Sabres with just five defencemen after Kleven left the game. The Senators were already without Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Nick Jensen, Dennis Gilbert and Carter Yakemchuk on the blue line. Ottawa native Cameron Crotty was recalled from the AHL’s Belleville Senators on Thursday.

Sabres: Had a solid first period but didn’t keep the same pressure through the final 40 minutes.

Key Moment

With five seconds remaining in the second period, Ullmark made a crucial sliding save on Byram.

Up next

Senators: Host the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

Sabres: Visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 2, 2026.

Lisa Wallace, The Canadian Press