Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff shared his reaction after this team was eliminated in the playoffs by the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7.
The Sabres lost 3-2 in overtime to the Canadiens on Monday night at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. The Canadiens opened up the game with a 2-0 lead, but Buffalo battled back to tie it up late and force OT. Unfortunately for the Sabres, they ended up losing on their home ice, ending their season in the process.
Lindy Ruff Reacts to Game 7 Loss
Speaking to the media after the Sabres lost to the Canadiens, coach Ruff offered his honest reaction to the defeat.
“It hurts. I told the team that it hurts. That pain wonât go away, but I wonât let this one game define the season we had. I told the players how proud I was of them. ⦠This one game doesnât define our season for us,” Ruff said.
For the Sabres, this loss ends what has been an otherwise amazing season for a Buffalo team that snapped a 14-year playoff drought. Not only did the Sabres make the playoffs, but they won the Atlantic Division for the first time in franchise history. Then, in the postseason, the Sabres defeated the Boston Bruins in the first round to advance to the second round against the Canadiens. Although they battled hard the entire series, ultimately the team came up just short by losing Game 7 in overtime, ending their miracle season in the process.
Lindy Ruff’s Future With Buffalo
The 66-year-old Ruff previously signed a two-year contract with the Sabres to return to the team in 2024 that expires at the end of this season. Now, the decision is on him to decide if he wants to return or not, as the team would of course love to have him back. But he could also decide to retire.
The AP’s John Wawrow reported on social media following the Game 7 loss that the decision to return will be all Ruff’s.
“Can report that all signs point to Lindy Ruff returning as Sabres coach. The decision is essentially up to him, if he wants to continue on. And seeing how much he enjoyed this season, it would be a surprise Ruff wouldnât want a crack at building on what heâs helped create,” Wawrow wrote on X.
Ruff was previously the head coach of the Sabres from 1997 to 2013, before being fired after many years behind the Sabres’ bench. He then had pit stops with the Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils before he returned to the Sabres two years ago. After winning the Atlantic Division title and making all of Buffalo proud, it feels like Ruff is going to come back and try again with this team next year to make another deep postseason run. He will likely need some time to think the decision over with his family about what he wants to do next, but with a team as talented as the Sabres, it makes sense for him to sign an extension and return to handle unfinished business.
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