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Josh Allen leads pregame chant, chugs beer at Buffalo Sabres playoff game

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh04/21/26griffin_mcveigh

For the first time in a long time, the Buffalo Sabres are in the NHL Playoffs. They walked into the KeyBank Center on Tuesday night with a 1-0 series lead over the Boston Bruins. To say the city is on fire with excitement would be an understatement. And somehow, the intensity got turned up a notch or two just ahead of puck drop.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen found himself in the building with the goal of riling up the crowd. Allen banged on a drum pregame, leading the “Let’s go Buffalo” chant. Three rounds came from Allen before tossing the stick in the air and reaching into his back pocket.

A beer was there waiting to be chugged. Allen downed the drink and brought even more energy into the arena. Exactly what you would expect from QB1 ahead of a massive hockey game. You can check out the full sequence here.

Allen is finally getting to enjoy a non-football sport in Buffalo. The Sabres are the only other franchise in the city, at least when talking about the four major professional sports. Being able to take in a hockey game is something football players usually enjoy. Doing so in a playoff-like atmosphere is even better.

Especially since Allen is aware of what the people of Buffalo can produce. Highmark Stadium has turned into one of the NFL’s best venues since Allen was drafted by the team. Of course, a new one is coming for the Bills ahead of the 2026 season. But everyone expects the atmosphere to be just as good.

Until the fall, Allen will have to settle in for playoff hockey. Hopefully, he has been watching over the past few months, though. The Sabres have turned into one of the sport’s best stories since Christmas. A switch at general manager was made, seemingly bringing life into the organization. Head coach Lindy Ruff, who is back for a second tenure with the organization, has been a key person in the turnaround.

Winning the Atlantic division means, at the very least, a banner will be hung before next season. Of course, everyone in Buffalo wants a little more than a division title. The franchise has never won a Stanley Cup and has not been in the finals since 1999. Despite the inexperience, plenty of people believe the Sabres are capable of making some kind of run in the coming weeks.