Sabres’ Lindy Ruff gets brutally honest on ‘pressure’ ahead of do-or-die Game 6 appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Buffalo Sabres are in a place they haven’t been in 15 years — facing an elimination contest in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After returning to the dance in 2025-26, and beating the Boston Bruins in six games in Round 1, the Sabres are down to their last loss against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Habs lead the series 3-2 following a convincing 6-3 victory in Game 5 on Thursday, and will have a chance to close it out in front of what promises to be a deafening crowd at the Bell Centre on Saturday evening.
“I know the pressure they’re feeling,” Ruff told reporters ahead of the team’s flight to Quebec, per The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn. “I know how they feel. I know how much they care. I just feel a day away from the rink, not coming here, is a good thing. We don’t need to watch video today. We don’t need to talk about the game. We need to move on.
“There’s only one game that counts now. And that is the game tomorrow. All likelihood, we may not even skate tomorrow. We’ll save everything we got for tomorrow night. That’s my initial thoughts right now.”
The Sabres didn’t hold a practice on Friday, and it looks like Ruff is giving his group as must rest as possible before the critical contest. This has become the most exciting series of the second-round, with no shortage of hostility or big moments from both clubs.
Now, Buffalo needs to find a victory on the road, a place they’ve been excellent in this postseason. The Sabres are 4-1 away from KeyBank Center, winning all three games at TD Garden in Round 1 and getting the split in Montreal by winning Game 4 earlier this week.
“What is there, five teams left?” Ruff continued. “To be sitting here talking to you guys, I think that it’s a wonderful place to be, and I’ll tell the team the same thing. We get to go to Montreal in Game 6 in the middle of May to move on to a Game 7, and I think we’ll all be evaluated on what this game looks like. Just bring your best.”
Puck is set to drop on the biggest game of the Sabres’ season just past 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.
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