The Detroit Tigers, ranked second in the AL Central with a 12-10 record, face the Boston Red Sox, who are tied for last in the AL East with an 8-13 record. Boston is favored with a -135 moneyline compared to Detroit’s +110. Starting pitchers are Jack Flaherty for Detroit, with a 4.05 ERA, and Sonny Gray for Boston, with a 4.43 ERA.
The 2026 NBA playoffs tip off this weekend with eight games across Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19. You can catch NBA playoff games on ABC, NBC, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video. Looking to watch the tournament with just one streaming service? We’ve (almost) got you covered. With DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack®, you’ll have everything you need to tune in, apart from Prime Video — but who doesn’t have access to an Amazon account these days, anyway?
Here’s what you need to know so you won’t miss a single game of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
How to watch the 2026 NBA playoffs:
Dates: April 18 – June, 2026
TV channels: NBC, ESPN, ABC
Streaming: DIRECTV
When are the 2026 NBA playoffs?
The 2026 NBA playoffs officially get underway on April 18. The Eastern Conference finals are scheduled to begin May 19, and the Western Conference finals are scheduled for May 20. The NBA finals are set to begin on June 3, 2026.
What channels are broadcasting NBA playoff games?
NBA playoff games will be broadcast across Prime Video, NBC, ABC, and ESPN.
How to watch the 2026 NBA playoffs without cable:
NBA playoff games that air on NBC, ABC and ESPN are all available to stream with DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack®, which includes access to ESPN (and the ESPN Unlimited streaming tier), local ABC and NBC.
Cancel anytime. Local channels vary by market. Blackout restrictions apply. Select sales channels only.
This will not replace any existing Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, or Disney bundle subscription you may already have. All other accounts must be managed separately. You must remain on an eligible plan to retain your offer.
Note: You’ll still need Amazon Prime access to catch the Prime Video-exclusive NBA playoff games — but who doesn’t have Amazon Prime access these days?
Why we love DIRECTV:
As Senior Yahoo Tech writer Rick Broida puts it, DIRECTV is the “polished and likable” cable alternative that cord-cutters have been searching for. Miss flipping through endless channels on the hunt for a gem to tune into? DIRECTV’s got one of the best channel guides out there. And in terms of content diversity, DIRECTV has you covered there, too, with packages ranging from hyper-specific Genre Packs for sports fans and reality TV zealots to full-coverage options for TV fans who want it all. Sports fans, meanwhile, will appreciate that ESPN Unlimited is included with many DIRECTV plans to boot. And don’t worry about missing your favorite shows, either: In addition to live channels, DIRECTV offers a full range of on-demand programming and unlimited DVR, too. That’s why we called DIRECTV the best cable TV replacement in the streaming world.
2026 NBA playoffs schedule this week:
April 18
1 p.m.: Toronto Raptors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Prime Video)
3:30 p.m.: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets (Prime Video)
6 p.m.: Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks (Prime Video)
8:30 p.m.: Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers (ABC)
April 19
1 p.m.: Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers (ABC)
3:30 p.m.: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. TBD (ABC)
6:30 p.m.: Detroit Pistons vs. TBD (NBC/Peacock)
9 p.m.: San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers (NBC/Peacock)
2026 NBA playoffs key dates:
May 4: Conference Semifinals begin (can move up to May 2 or 3)
May 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin on ESPN/ABC (can move up to May 17)
May 20: Western Conference Finals begin on NBC/Peacock (can move up to May 18)
June 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 5: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 2 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 8: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 3 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 10: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 4 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 13: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 5 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
June 16: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 6 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
The Los Angeles Dodgers are calling up outfielder/first baseman Ryan Ward from Triple-A Oklahoma City. The team officially announced the move on Sunday. He will take the roster spot of Freddie Freeman, who was placed on the paternity list.
Ward, 28, earned Pacific Coast League MVP honors last season and had a slash line of .290/.380/.557 with 36 home runs, 31 doubles, 122 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 652 plate appearances.
The Dodgers’ 2019 eighth-round draft pick came into this year ranked as the team’s No. 19 prospect by MLB.com and just outside the organization’s top 20 minor-leaguers by The Athletic. This season, he’s batting .324/.432/.588 with 4 homers, 6 doubles, 14 RBI and 3 steals in 18 games.
While Ward’s production warrants a call-up to the majors, it’s unclear as to where he’ll play in the Dodgers’ lineup. Shohei Ohtani is entrenched as the designated hitter and Freddie Freeman mans first base. Teoscar Hernández doesn’t need a left-handed bat to platoon with him (he’s batting .313/. 306/.604 versus right-handed pitching this season), and Kyle Tucker bats left-handed in right field.
As a team, the Dodgers lead MLB with a .289 average and .864 OPS against right-handers, powered by the likes of Ohtani, Freeman, Tucker (who’s off to a slow start) and Max Muncy.
However, Ward would provide a left-handed power bat off the bench for a Dodgers roster that only has Dalton Rushing to bat from that side of the plate. Last season, Ward batted .319/.402/.636 in 463 PAs against right-handed pitching.
“The thing I like about Ryan is he’s performed,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the California Post during spring training. “We’ve asked him to do certain things, whether it’s positional versatility or cutting back on the strikeouts, hit for a little more power. He’s done all that.”
Before going on the paternity list, Freeman batted 2-for-4 in the Dodgers’ 4-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Saturday. This season, he has a slash average of .296/.360/.519 with three home runs, seven doubles and 14 RBI in 89 plate appearances.
Freeman and his wife are expecting a baby girl, who will be the couple’s fourth child. Going on MLB’s paternity list allows him to miss one to three games.
In a weekend filled with high-leverage basketball, the 2026 NBA playoffs are officially underway. That means we’re closer to finding out the 2025-26 regular season award winners.
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a handful of finalists announced. Shouldn’t be a shocker. They had an NBA-best 64-18 record and plus-11.1 point differential. After they picked up a 119-84 Game 1 win over the Phoenix Suns, they had their two All-Star representatives get love.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named a 2025-26 MVP finalist. The other two were Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic. Things went pretty chalk there.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points on 55.3% shooting, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds. He played in 68 games. Considering what the tea leaves say, feels like he’s well on his way to win back-to-back MVP trophies. We’ll see, though, the NBA has yet to announce when the winner will be known.
The Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights open Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series Sunday in Las Vegas, marking Utah’s first playoff appearance in franchise history.
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Vegas enters as the Pacific Division champions at 39-26-17 (95 points) and will host Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena, while Utah clinched the No. 1 wild-card spot at 43-32-6 (92 points).
The Mammoth secured that wild-card position with a late push, including a key 5–3 win over Winnipeg, while Vegas locked up the division with a 4–1 comeback win over Seattle.
This is a historic matchup for Utah, which is making the playoffs in just its second NHL season, becoming one of the fastest expansion teams to reach the postseason.
The Golden Knights, meanwhile, bring playoff experience and home-ice advantage, led by Jack Eichel and a deep, structured lineup. Utah actually had success in the regular-season series, going 2–1 against Vegas, showing they can compete with the division champs.
Game 1 sets up as a contrast between Vegas’ experience and Utah’s momentum. The Mammoth entered having dropped three of their last four games, while the Golden Knights closed strong to secure the division title.
If Utah’s young core, led by Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther, can generate offense early, they can pressure Vegas, but the Golden Knights’ depth and home ice make them the favorite heading into the series opener.
This is a great NHL matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. ― As they started the back nine at Harbour Town Golf Links Sunday, Matt Fitzpatrick and Scottie Scheffler had separated themselves from the pack at the 58th RBC Heritage as they came down the stretch in what was basically a match play scenario.
The 29-year-old Scheffler did just that ― with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes to close within a stroke of Fitzpatrick, who had a run of 14 straight pars coming into the famous No. 18 hole at Harbour Town.
Fitzpatrick left himself a 22 footer for par and missed for his first bogey of the day as he carded a 1-under par 70. The duo headed back to the 18th hole to start the playoff.
The crowd was rooting for Scheffler as some chants “USA, USA” started from the bleachers surrounding the 18th green on the last hole of regulation and the extra hole. But it didn’t have any effect on Fitzpatrick, who hit a strong drive and then laced a low 4-iron into a strong wind that ended up 13 feet past the hole. Scheffler was short and right of the green and forced to chip up to about 10 feet.
Fitzpatrick calmly drained the winning putt for birdie and after retrieving the ball from the cup put his hand to his ear and looked playfully into the stands in what almost seemed like a Ryder Cup moment.
The native of Sheffield, England fell in love with Harbour Town as a youngster ― taking frequent vacations to Hilton Head Island with his family. Now he’s a two-time RBC champion, having also won in 2023.
“It’s incredible. Words don’t really do it justice,” Fitzpatrick said. “I remember being stuck behind those gates and watching the players practice putting, and now I’m one of those and a two-time winner. I’m obviously absolutely delighted. To do it the way I did was special. The 18th hole was playing so different today compared to the first three days. It was quite funny that the playoff was just going to keep playing on 18. I was thinking it was going difficult in a way to separate ourselves because it’s such a difficult hole, so to do it how I did was special.”
Fitzpatrick said his final approach was the perfect yardage for a 4-iron, which was added to the bag for Sunday’s round by his caddie Daniel Parratt.
“I’ll be honest, I pulled it a little bit,” said Fitzpatrick, who now has four wins on the PGA Tour, including the 2022 U.S. Open. “But it was such a great number for 4-iron, again great planning from Dan. He’s just so aware of what’s going on with the wind even before we tee off and stuff. But I knew after the one in regulation, I had basically hit it as well as I could, and then in the fairway it was the same story. I knew I could just hit it. Fortunately, I hit a great shot.”
Asked about the chanting and the crowd favoring Schefler, Fitzpatrick, a veteran of four Ryder Cups, said it didn’t bother him in the least.
“No, it didn’t get out of line in terms of no one was shouting on backswings or anything like that, which was great. I’m all for it. I love the people ― they’re supporting Scottie; that’s great. You want golf to have an atmosphere ― in my opinion. I grew up watching football. I’m paid so much money to be out there in front of those crowds, having them chanting at you every week, it’s great feeling.
“However, there’s no better feeling than coming out on top against that,” he said. “To describe it in my terms, it’s kind of winning away against your biggest rival. Nothing to do with Scottie or the players; it’s the fans that have sort of spurred me on there. It was nice to obviously win, but it never crossed the line. It was just loud. Just loud.”
After winning at the Valspar Championship in March, the 31-year-old Fitzpatrick has two wins in his last three starts. He started the week at No. 7 in the World Golf Ranking and is projected to move up to a career high No. 3 with the win at Harbour Town.
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
It’s amazing to think how much life has changed for University of Houston guard Kingston Flemings in such a short amount of time.
“My main goal was just find a way I can help his team and winning, you know, coming here, I just wanted to win so bad, and that’s the reason I chose here,” Flemings said.
This time last year, he hadn’t even graduated from high school. Today, he declared for the NBA draft.
“It’s crazy how fast it went. I remember Coach talking about it, like ‘you don’t really see the end of the tunnel, but it’s going to go by so fast,'” he said. “I will be declaring for the NBA draft.”
He’ll take his talents to the NBA, declaring for the draft on June 23. “I just want anyone I play with to enjoy playing with me, so whatever the coach is going to need, that’s what I’m gonna go out there and do,” Flemings said.
“You know, I don’t have a one track mind. I don’t care about scoring that much, I don’t care about assist or anything like that, as long as we’re winning; that’s all I care about.”
Kingston is humble, unselfish and the ultimate team player.
“The first thing that jumped out to me was how selfless and loyal he is,” UH head basketball coach Kelvin Sampson said.
He has all the qualities an NBA team is looking for. He’s projected to be taken in one of the top-ten picks, but Sampson believes he’s better than that. “I don’t think he’s a top-ten pick, I think he’s a top five pick if I was an NBA team, I’d draft him top five,” Sampson said.
Kingston says he is a cougar for life and when talking about head coach Kelvin Sampson, he said he was a perfect fit that helped him grow not only as a player, but a man.
“Just to see these people and just the players and how they grow when they’re here, you know, whether they’re here for one year or two years, three years or four, he just grows everyone in different ways and in ways that’s going to stick with them for life,” Flemings said.
“We have a responsibility to develop him, Coach Sampson said. “He’s not a number to us. He’s not stats on a page to us. He is a living, breathing human being.”
We’ll have to wait until June 23 to see where he lands. “I’m proud of Kingston. Am I upset about it? Heck, no. I’m proud of him.”
One thing we know for sure, the team that drafts him will not only get a great player, but an even better person.
“I’ll be a cougar for life for sure. So thank you,” Flemings said.
At Vila Belmiro, Santos came from ahead to lose 3-2 to Fluminense, who managed to breathe again after a string of defeats and a crisis brewing between the board and the fans.
As for the round’s main talking points, São Paulo dropped out of the G-4, Atlético-MG fell from eighth to 12th place, and Corinthians entered the Z-4 in place of Cruzeiro.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — KeyBank Center is the site of the best story in the NHL: the Buffalo Sabres.
The Sabres had missed the playoffs for 14 consecutive seasons, but they’re back, and it starts Sunday night. The Eastern Conference first-round series matches Buffalo up with the Boston Bruins in a series that matches one of hockey’s surprise teams against one of its perennial contenders.
The Sabres were in last place in the Eastern Conference on December 8.
By the end of the regular season, they had the second-most points in the East, not just getting into the playoffs but ensuring that their return would be played at home.
It’s hard to know for sure how the Sabres will respond to this season, but given the way they played the whole second half of the campaign, it’s safe to expect them to be formidable.
The Bruins, of course, won’t be a pushover. Led by David Pastrnak, Boston remains a talented bunch, and they made it out of a jumble in the Eastern Conference standings to ensure this playoff berth.
The NHL clearly likes the storylines here: They made it the primetime ESPN game on Sunday night as the playoffs opened this weekend.
Below, we’ll bring you all the updates you need to keep up with the action from Buffalo with The Sporting News live from the KeyBank Center.
– Jeremy Swayman is singlehandedly keeping Buffalo off the scoreboard.
– UPL with a big save on a wide open breakaway to deny the Bruins.
– Bruins kill that penalty. Back to even strength with 17:30 left in the escond.
– Bruins penalty Pavel Zach 27 seconds into the second period. It’ll be 23 seconds of 4-on-4 and then 1:37 of a Buffalo powerplay.
– Sabres have 50 seconds of a penalty to kill to start the second.
– Hockey will resume at about 8:42 p.m. ET.
First Period
– Jeremy Swayman the player of the first period, with 15 saves, including some very good ones.
– Sabres keep Boston from getting a second before the first period ends. Morgan Geekie passed up a wide open net late to try and pass.
– Bruins get a powerplay with 1:10 left in the first period as Jason Zucker goes to the box.
– Bruins kill the powerplay — Sabres with three great chances in the two minutes.
– Ryan McLeod with a great solo rush in on goal but another Swayman stop.
– The Sabres got the puck across the line, but it was only after shoving with Swayman and the net, so it doesn’t count.
– Swayman with a fantastic glove save on Dahlin midway through the powerplay.
– Sabres on the powerplay with 5:15 left in the first period. Nikita Zadorov for crosschecking.
– Sabres kill the penalty. Back to even strength with less than six minutes to go in the first.
– Bruins powerplay less than two minutes after the goal. Rasmus Dahlin to the box for two minutes for hooking.
– 10:52 into the first period, Morgan Geekie scores the opening goal for the Bruins. David Pastrnak had a shot blocked, but it went right into Geekie’s path to make it 1-0 Boston.
– Mattias Samuelsson just absolutely lit someone up.
– Jason Zucker with a strong chance in front but not quite for Buffalo with about 11 minutes remaining in the first period. Swayman with a strong left pad.
– Couple early icings by the Bruins. Sabres’ forecheck has been strong.
– Six minutes in and the biggest play might be a diving blocked shot by Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson on what otherwise looked like a clean look from the slot for the Bruins.
– Some heavy hits early, including one by Alex Tuch. One shot on target apiece in first four minutes.
– Sabres have the first shot on target, an easy catch for Swayman. KeyBank Center is LOUD.
– It’s time. Playoff hockey is back in Buffalo.
Pregame
– Among the lines intrigue: The Bruins have a pairing of youngsters on the third line with James Hagens and Fraser Minten.
– Warmups are done. Pregame festivities commence at 7:29, with faceoff at 7:42.
– As expected, starting goalies are Jeremy Swayman for Boston and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for Buffalo.
– About 45 minutes until opening faceoff and the KeyBank Center is already nearly full. These fans are ready.
– They just showed a very small baby on the video board. That child will never know what the playoff drought was like.
– In the arena, the band Uncovered Buffalo provides some pregame entertainment. They open with that classic line: “The boys are back in town.” Yep, Sabres playoff hockey is back in town.
– Also, because of course it has, it has snowed in much of Western New York on Sunday.
– Parking lots in downtown Buffalo are cleaning up tonight. Even a couple miles from the arena was $30, and only up from there.
– A sign on the way on 33-West into Buffalo reads, “Welcome to Lindy Ruffalo.” The city is ready.
– Of note for fans tuning in: The official time scheduled for the opening faceoff is 7:42 p.m. ET.
After a year away from the postseason, the Bruins will return to the playoff stage when they hit the ice on Sunday night for Game 1 against the Sabres.
Under first-year head coach Marco Sturm, Boston has found success with a structured, defensive-first mentality that relies on the brilliance of goaltender Jeremy Swayman. The Bruins will be the underdog in the first round, though, as they are going head-to-head with a Sabres squad that led the Atlantic Division with 109 points.
Both the Bruins and Sabres defied expectations this season, and now, the two contenders will battle in the postseason for the ninth time. The atmosphere in Buffalo will certainly be electric, as Sabres fans are ready to watch playoff hockey for the first time in 14 years.
Follow along right here for live updates from Game 1 between the Bruins and Sabres.
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Bruins vs. Sabres live updates, highlights from Game 1
8:52 p.m.: The Sabres have had their fair share of chances this period, now with Jack Quinn alone right in front of Swayman. But, the goaltender was in good position and made the save.
We’re five minutes through the second.
8:49 p.m.: It’s a prime opportunity for Pastrnak, who gets the puck behind defenders and has a breakaway. But, his backhander is saved by Pekka Luukkonen.
8:48 p.m.: Buffalo’s power play is over, making both teams 0-for-2 tonight.
This one was a lot different for Boston, who got a few clearances and kept the pressure off Swayman.
8:44 p.m.: Now, Pavel Zacha takes a holding penalty, ending the Bruins power play.
It will be a 4-on-4 for 23 seconds, then Buffalo will have its second man advantage of the night.
8:42 p.m.: The second period is underway in Boston.
The Bruins lead 1-0 courtesy of the Geekie goal.
End of the first period: Bruins 1, Sabres 0
8:25 p.m.: Geekie had a prime opportunity to give Boston a 2-0 lead, but his eyes were down and he didn’t see an empty net. The Sabres’ goaltender had no chance if Geekie ripped it. But, instead, he chose to pass, and time expires in the first.
Still, the Bruins have a 1-0 lead behind Geekie’s goal and Swayman’s strong performance. Both teams head to the locker room and look to come out in the second period firing.
8:23 p.m.: The Bruins are heading back to the penalty, with Jason Zucker now taking a penalty for holding. The power play will go into the second period, if Boston doesn’t score.
8:19 p.m.: It’s a big kill for the Bruins, and now both teams are 0-for-1 on the power play. With three minutes left in the first, the Bruins are holding onto a 1-0 lead.
Swayman has 13 saves so far.
8:18 p.m.: Swayman picks up right where he left off in the playoffs, now making a save on Ryan McLeod, who burst from end-to-end to get right in front of No. 1.
He’s made three saves this power play.
8:16 p.m.: There’s some chaos in front of the Boston net. After Swayman makes a save, a scrum ensues as the Bruins goaltender is pushed into the net after the whistle is blown. There’s 51 seconds left in the power play.
The puck ended up in the net, but not before the play was waved off.
8:13 p.m.: Now, the Sabres will head to the power play for the first time.
It’s Nikita Zadorov going to the box for Boston, a two-minute penalty for cross-checking. For the first time tonight, the Boston kill takes the ice.
8:08 p.m.: Boston’s had a fair share of shots during the power play, but Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has made the saves.
Now, Elias Lindholm gets shoved into the net fishing for a rebound and a scrum ensues.
8:04 p.m.: Now, Geekie creates more chaos in the offensive zone and drives the first penalty of the series. It’s a hooking call on Dahlin, sending the Buffalo captain to the box and giving Boston the first power play tonight.
There’s 7:57 remaining in the first.
Bruins 1, Sabres 0
8:02 p.m. GOAL: The Boston Bruins have the first goal of the series, and it’s their leading scorer from the regular season.
That’s Morgan Geekie, who had a career-high 39 goals. Here, he hits a one-timer after David Pastrnak’s shot is blocked by Rasmus Dahlin and it goes into the net; Geekie picks up right where he left off, and it gives Boston the lead and silences the crowd.
7:15 p.m.: Puck drop is getting closer, and the Bruins aren’t the only Boston team to play a playoff game today.
Earlier this afternoon, the Celtics took a 1-0 series lead with a dominating win over the 76ers at TD Garden. Then, the Celtics sent their luck to their TD Garden partners ahead of tonight’s contest.
7:04 p.m.: If Boston is going to have a chance in the series, expect Jeremy Swayman to be a reason why.
Swayman enters the 2026 postseason boasting an elite career playoff save percentage of .922 and a 2.38 goals-against average across 20 appearances. He remains a cornerstone for Boston after a historic 2023-24 playoff run where he posted a .933 save percentage over 12 games, proving he can shoulder the weight of an entire series.
Following a bounce-back regular season with 31 wins, the recently crowned Olympic gold medalist is now tasked with neutralizing a high-powered Buffalo offense as he makes his fifth career postseason appearance.
6:55 p.m.: Buffalo isn’t the only team to have exceeded expectations in this matchup. Enter the Bruins, who many thought would miss the postseason outright with a roster that looked like it was in a transition year.
Instead, Boston is back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with plenty of life.
“Never say die.”
The Sabres may have their burn book, but the #NHLBruins have receipts too.
6:34 p.m.: The Bruins are staring across the ice at a playoff opponent that feels entirely unfamiliar yet dangerously rejuvenated.
The 2025-26 Buffalo Sabres didn’t just break the longest postseason drought in NHL history; they kicked the door down by finishing first in the Atlantic Division with a staggering 109 points. This wasn’t a fluke of a season, but rather a dominant 50-win campaign where Buffalo sat among the league’s top five offensive units, averaging nearly 3.5 goals per game.
The middle of the season saw the Sabres transform into a historical juggernaut, at one point embarking on a 32–6–2 run —the best 40-game stretch the NHL has seen in 30 years. Tage Thompson led the charge with a 40-goal season, while captain Rasmus Dahlin anchored a blue line that evolved from a liability into a position of strength, helping Buffalo secure their first division title since 2010.
What makes this iteration of the Sabres so terrifying is their ability to control the pace through elite skating and opportunistic finishing. While they struggled in the early weeks, they ended the year as one of the most efficient teams in the league, ranking 5th in shooting percentage (12.3%). With Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen coming into his own between the pipes and a roster full of young stars like Zach Benson and Bowen Byram hitting their stride, the Sabres enter the first round not as happy-to-be-here underdogs, but as a genuine threat to hoist the Cup.
6:30 p.m.: It’s time for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After one year away, the Boston Bruins have returned to the dance, putting up a 100-point season under first-year head coach Marco Sturm. The Bruins clinched the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, setting up a matchup with the Atlantic Division champion Buffalo Sabres in Round 1.
Tune in for live updates throughout the night as Boston gets its Stanley Cup Playoff campaign started.
How to watch Bruins vs. Sabres Game 1: TV channel, live stream
Bruins vs. Sabres will air locally on NESN. Game 1 will also be available to stream on NESN 360 and fubo.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100-plus top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
Bruins vs. Sabres Game 1 start time
Date: Sunday, April 19
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Bruins vs. Sabres is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 19. Game 1 will be played at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
