The Buffalo Sabres hold a 2-1 lead over the Boston Bruins in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series, and amid all the buzz around the matchup, one unexpected storyline has centered around Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
After Buffalo dropped Game 2 shortly after Allen’s hyped-up appearance at KeyBank Center, some jokingly wondered whether the Bills superstar had somehow “jinxed” the Sabres. Matthew Tkachuk isn’t buying any of it.
Matthew Tkachuk Defends Josh Allen in Sabres Game 2 Loss
With Buffalo ending a 15-year playoff drought this season, the atmosphere around the Sabres has been unlike anything the city has seen in over a decade.
That energy was on full display in Game 2 when Allen helped ignite the crowd before puck drop.
Wearing an Alex Tuch goathead jersey, Allen took the ceremonial drum stage, pounded out the “Let’s Go Buffalo” chant, then sent the arena into a frenzy by pulling a beer from his back pocket and chugging it in front of a roaring crowd. It was pure Buffalo.
Allen had called the atmosphere electric beforehand and said the city is at its best when the Sabres are rolling.
But despite the energy, Buffalo fell 3-1 to Boston that night, which sparked the idea that Allen’s appearance may have been a bad omen. But the idea didn’t get much traction with Tkachuk. Asked whether he’d let Allen bang the drum again if the series goes seven games, the two-time Stanley Cup champion didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, for sure. Those guys, they get the crowd going more than anybody. It’s all about momentum. You get the biggest dog in the city to get that place shaken. I don’t believe in superstition like that,” Tkachuk said.
It was a pretty direct shutdown of the narrative. And after Buffalo bounced back with a 3-1 win in Game 3, the “jinx” talk only looked sillier.
The conversation also turned playful as they discussed who else could handle drum duties. Paul Bissonnette floated the idea of bringing in a Buffalo rapper to fire up the crowd, while others tossed out names tied to the city’s sports history.
Tkachuk suggested former Sabres players could be ideal choices, while names like Brad May and even Buffalo Bandits star John Tavares were mentioned as possibilities.
But the main takeaway was clear: Tkachuk sees Allen as part of the atmosphere, not the problem.
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With Buffalo now leading the series, attention shifts to Game 4 in Boston on Saturday, where the Sabers will look to take firm control.