Zach Benson flips in third-period go-ahead goal for Sabres in Game 4

Buffalo grabs a needed playoff edge.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated May 131 min read

BUF

Buffalo SabresNHL

ZACH BENSON FLIPS IT IN AND THE SABRES TAKE A THIRD PERIOD LEAD 👀 https://t.co/67Xs2XEdl5

What happened: ESPN posted that Zach Benson flipped the puck in to give the Buffalo Sabres a third-period lead in Game 4 of their second-round series. The goal came with Buffalo trying to answer after consecutive losses and facing a 2-1 series deficit entering Tuesday night in Montreal.

Why it matters: The moment mattered because Buffalo needed a response after a 5-1 loss in Game 2 and a 6-2 loss in Game 3. It also landed in a swing game for a series that had turned after the Sabres opened the matchup with a Game 1 win, while had moved toward Montreal before Game 4.

By the numbers: Series entering Game 4: Montreal led 2-1. Recent results: Sabres won Game 1, 4-2; Montreal won Game 2, 5-1; Montreal won Game 3, 6-2. Benson had scored in Game 2 and earlier in Buffalo's first-round series against Boston.

What to watch: Watch for the final result of Game 4 and whether Buffalo can turn Benson's goal into a series-tying win. The next checkpoint is Game 5 on Thursday, May 14, 2026, in Buffalo.

Sources

@espn May 12, 9:39 PM ET

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Zach Benson flips in third-period go-ahead goal for Sabres in Game 4

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