Sabres Triumph Over Senators in Emotional Matchup

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on March 25, 2025, in a highly charged game that featured key trade narratives and playoff implications. The matchup marked the first meeting since the trade that sent Dylan Cozens to the Senators and Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker to the Sabres.

The game commenced at 7 p.m. ET at KeyBank Center, where Cozens, now wearing Ottawa’s colors, looked to make an impact against his former team that drafted him seventh overall in 2019. Since joining the Senators, Cozens had tallied seven points, including three goals in his first eight games. Meanwhile, Norris, acquired by the Sabres, was sidelined due to an undisclosed injury, missing his sixth consecutive game. Bernard-Docker, however, had made his debut with two assists in his last outing against the Winnipeg Jets.

The Senators entered the contest with a 7-2-1 record in their previous ten games, averaging 3.60 goals per game and boasting a 26.7% success rate on the power play. Brady Tkachuk was leading Ottawa with six goals during this span, while several teammates followed closely with four goals each. In contrast, the Sabres had recently scored an impressive 5-3 victory over the Western Conference-leading Jets but were grappling with defensive issues, allowing 4.18 goals against per game over their last eleven matches.

As the game unfolded, the Sabres took the lead thanks to Jack Quinn‘s first-period goal, followed by Jacob Bernard-Docker’s marker. The Senators answered with two power-play goals from Tkachuk and David Perron, tying the game at two before the end of the second period. However, Tage Thompson broke the deadlock just 1:23 into the third period to secure the victory for Buffalo.

This win also marked a historic milestone for Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, who recorded his 600th victory with the franchise, making him only the second coach in NHL history to achieve this with a single team. Ruff’s coaching record with Buffalo improved to 600-467-90, trailing only Al Arbor’s 740 wins with the New York Islanders.

The defeat was a missed opportunity for the Senators, who were vying for a strong playoff position in the Eastern Conference. By the end of the game, they sat seventh in the standings, just four points shy of the eighth-place Montreal Canadiens.

Despite the loss, Cozens continued to excel, assisting on Tkachuk’s opening goal, marking a total point streak of eight out of nine games since his trade. Both teams are now focused on closing out the regular season strong. The Senators will complete their three-game road trip against the Detroit Red Wings next, while the Sabres are set to host the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Overall, the March 25 matchup was a blend of personal stories and competitive stakes, making for an unforgettable evening in Buffalo.