Sabres match comeback from ‘May Day’ in playoff return

Sandra Jeanneret, wife of legendary Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret, banged the Sabres drum on Sunday before the team’s long-awaited playoff return in Buffalo.

It’s a tradition at Sabres games with the drum going to the beat of ‘Let’s Go Buffalo,’ which the crowd yells out afterward. Sandra was seen as the ideal choice to do the honours for the team’s first playoff game in 15 years.

Little did she know she was about to witness a feat not seen since her late husband delivered one of the most famous calls of his career.

The Sabres rallied from a 2-0 deficit after two periods to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 before a roaring crowd at KeyBank Center in Buffalo’s first playoff game in 15 years.

The multi-goal comeback in the third period marked the first time the Sabres have done that in a playoff win since April 24, 1993, when Brad May scored in overtime to complete a sweep of the same Bruins in the first round at Buffalo’s old Memorial Auditorium.

Rick Jeanneret, never short on enthusiasm, bellowed “May Day, May Day” after that goal.

That win gave the Sabres their first series victory in 10 years, setting up a series against the Canadiens, which Montreal would win 4-0.

Could some of history repeat itself? It’s possible, after the Sabres and Canadiens both won their series openers on Sunday. If they were to both win, they’d square off in the second round.

For now, though, Buffalo fans will celebrate an epic win, keyed by two goals from Tage Thompson and then the go-ahead goal by Mattias Samuelsson.