'He makes life hell on the opponent' | Samuelsson established physical tone in Game 1

Mattias Samuelsson spent the weeks leading up to his first NHL playoff game envisioning the pregame atmosphere. He thought about what it would be like standing at the blue line, surrounded by 19,070 emotional Buffalonians as the anthems played.

The reality surpassed any expectations.  

“The opening puck drop, I had chills,” Samuelsson told Rob Ray postgame. “I was worried I was going to fall over, I was so anxious.”

• Read Samuelsson's letter to Buffalo

You wouldn’t know it. Samuelsson authored a signature performance in Buffalo’s Game 1 victory, capped by a third-period, go-ahead goal that will live in Sabres lore.

But the goal was only a piece of Samuelsson’s game. He was the most physical player on the ice against a Bruins team that had entered the series looking to be the aggressors. Samuelsson finished with nine hits, several of which sent Bruins players to the ice.

Six of Samuelsson’s hits were delivered during the first period, including a flattening of Bruins forward Marat Khusnutdinov along the boards:

In the third period, Samuelsson tracked Morgan Geekie into the defensive zone, lowered his shoulder, and sent the Bruins’ leading goal scorer hard into the wall:

“I thought Samuelsson was an absolute stud in the game,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “Running over people, physical.

“… We talked about making sure that we finished people when we had the opportunity, that we took them out of the play. Or that, in our zone, we were able to kill plays right away so we broke out. And I thought by far he was our most physical.”

The performance was a reminder of Samuelsson’s integral role on the Sabres, having established himself as one of the league’s premier shutdown defensemen this past season. His plus-41 rating tied for seventh in the NHL and he anchored a Buffalo penalty kill that ranked among the league’s best all season long.

The fact that Samuelsson added a scoring touch – he blew past his previous career highs with 13 goals and 41 points – made for a truly unique season. Since hits started being tracked in 2005-06, there have only been 19 instances of a player reaching at least 40 points, 130 hits, and 150 blocks, as Samuelsson did this season.

One of those seasons belongs to Samuelsson’s defense partner, Rasmus Dahlin. Three belong to Hockey Hall of Famer Shea Weber.

Alex Tuch plays against the NHL’s top defensemen on a nightly basis. Still, he shuddered when describing what it’s like to face Samuelsson in practice.

“I mean, he’s got every tool in the toolbox,” Tuch said. “He’s big, he skates well, he’s got the long stick, he’s got the hockey IQ. And then when he’s physical like that, he’s just horrible to play against. I mean, I practice against him every day, and it’s just miserable.

“He makes life hell on the opponent and it’s a lot of fun to see. He also has a heck of a snapshot too, as you can see. That post-and-in shot. He’s got every tool. He’s coming into his own and the sky’s the limit for him.”

Ramus Dahlin memorably referred to Samuelsson’s stick as “a cobra” back in 2022-23, referring to Samuelsson’s ability to use his reach to close gaps and strip pucks. One play in Game 1 served as a perfect example of that skill. Defending David Pastrnak 1-on-1 on the rush, Samuelsson stayed in front of the Bruins superstar as he closed in on net and calmly poked the puck out of harm’s way.

“He’s got the best stick in the league I’d say,” Jack Quinn said. “It’s tough going against him, I’ve been doing it for a while. He doesn’t really hit us in practice, we just have to worry about his stick, but he adds that in the games too. They’ve got to worry about both.”

They have to worry about his offense, too. It was Quinn who set up Samuelsson’s go-ahead shot in the third period, a wrister from the high slot that banked in off the near-side post.

Samuelsson had spent all that time envisioning what the playoff atmosphere would be like at the beginning of Game 1. The end was even better.

“I think that might’ve been the coolest moment of my life,” he said.