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How Rangers clinched Sabres their first playoff spot in 15 years without Buffalo even playing originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Buffalo Sabres are going to the playoffs.
It's been a long time coming, and they have the New York Rangers to thank.
The Sabres entered Saturday with a magic number of just 1 point to secure a spot in the postseason, and they are playing the Washington Capitals later in the day.
But before the Sabres even took the ice, the Rangers got the job done.
How Sabres clinched playoff spot thanks to Rangers
The Rangers were taking on the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday afternoon, and the Red Wings needed at least a point to stay close enough in the standings to Buffalo to have a non-zero chance of being the reason the Sabres eventually didn't make the playoffs.
That meant if the Rangers won in regulation, the Red Wings would get no points, and Buffalo's magic number would drop from 1 to 0.
That's what happened.
The Sabres are going to the playoffs because Gabe Perrault scored a hat trick for New York in a 4-1 win over Detroit.
It's some hockey synergy from one end of New York state to the other.
The Sabres had missed the playoffs in each of the past 14 seasons.
They last played a postseason game on April 26, 2011.
Now, they'll have playoff games this season. What a ride it's been, and it isn't done yet.
MORE: Read more about the Sabres' playoff history
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