The Buffalo Sabres are making their presence felt in the NCAA Tournament for the second year running, with six of their draft picks hitting the ice as the tournament kicks off on Thursday.
Leading the charge are Michigan State defensemen Maxim Strbak and Patrick Geary. Strbak, a second-round pick in 2023, and Geary, selected in the sixth round in 2024, are no strangers to the spotlight. They’re entering their third consecutive NCAA Tournament, helping the Spartans secure the No. 3 overall seed.
Michigan State, holding the top seed in the Worcester Regional, will face off against No. 4 seed UConn, featuring Jake Richard, a sixth-round pick from 2022. Their clash is set for Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
Despite a tough loss to Merrimack in the Hockey East Tournament finals, UConn managed to snag the No. 14 overall seed, earning the last at-large bid.
Wisconsin brings fresh faces to the tournament with freshmen Luke Osburn and Vasily Zelenov making their debuts. Osburn, a fourth-round pick in 2024, and Zelenov, picked in the seventh round the same year, are set to take on Dartmouth at 5 p.m. in Worcester.
Meanwhile, Adam Kleber, a standout second-round pick from 2024, has been a defensive powerhouse for Minnesota Duluth. Kleber, who took home the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year Award, has been instrumental in guiding the Bulldogs back to the tournament for the first time since 2022. They’re the No. 2 seed in the Albany Regional, gearing up to face Penn State at 9 p.m. on Friday.
Here’s a closer look at the regional semifinal matchups, with Sabres prospects in bold:
Sioux Falls Regional (Thursday)
- North Dakota vs.
Merrimack - 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- Providence vs. Quinnipiac - 5 p.m.
ET, ESPN+
Worcester Regional (Thursday)
- Michigan State (Geary, Strbak) vs.
Connecticut (Richard) - 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- Dartmouth vs. Wisconsin (Osburn, Zelenov) - 5 p.m.
ET, ESPN-U
Loveland Regional (Friday)
- Western Michigan vs.
Minnesota State - 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU
- Denver vs. Cornell - 6 p.m.
ET, ESPN+
Albany Regional (Friday)
- Michigan vs.
Bentley - 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN-U
- Minnesota Duluth (Kleber) vs. Penn State - 9 p.m.
ET, ESPN2
With such a strong contingent of Sabres prospects, fans have plenty to look forward to as these young talents take center stage in college hockey’s most exciting tournament.