When the Buffalo Sabres mathematically secured their spot after the New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday afternoon, Jessica Pegula did exactly what any other long-suffering fan would do. She grabbed her phone and started posting unhinged internet memes. The Sabres are finally heading back to the postseason after 14 agonizing years, and Pegula flooded her Instagram story to make sure the entire world knew exactly how she felt about it.
Jessica Pegula Shifts Into Buffalo Sabres Playoff Mode
Pegula did not hold back her relief. She celebrated the monumental franchise milestone by sharing four distinct memes with her massive online following. She shared a photo of George Costanza from “Seinfeld” wearing a blue Sabres hat with “I gotta focus. I’m shifting into Playoff mode.”
Next up, she moved into nostalgic pop culture territory. Pegula shared an iconic image of early 2000s singer Hilary Duff standing in a heavy downpour.
She shared an edited pic with a Buffalo logo squarely on Duff’s jacket. The caption was a lyric from the hit song “Come Clean,” declaring that the rain could finally fall because the brutal drought had ended.
The barrage of internet classics did not stop there. She followed up by posting the famous “Call an ambulance… but not for me” image. She placed the team’s crossed-swords logo perfectly over the triumphant character to signal the team’s massive turnaround.
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To cap off the entire sequence, Pegula used a famous frame of Michael Scott from “The Office” driving a red convertible.
The Sabres are officially back in business.
Exorcising the Buffalo Sabres’ 14-Year Playoff Demon
Pegula’s family purchased the Sabres in 2011. But that transaction painfully coincided with the exact start of their historic postseason absence.
She watched endless rebuilding phases and heartbreaking near-misses over the last decade, so seeing the team finally cross the finish line clearly hits different.
The NFL’s New York Jets now officially stand alone with the miserable record distinction. The Sabres caught fire in early December after a rough start and became one of the toughest teams to beat in the NHL. They ripped off massive win streaks and piled up 100 points, completely flipping the script on a season that initially looked destined for familiar disappointment.
And Pegula has been riding this momentum on the tour for weeks. She previously noted how much energy the team’s hot streak provided her own game, even saying she struggled to explain the magnitude of the hockey run to her peers.
On the tennis side, Pegula is translating that same energy into a dominant run on the green clay at the Charleston Open.
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While the Sabres locked up their playoff berth on Saturday, Pegula was busy securing her own spot in a championship match. She battled past Diana Shnaider in a grueling three-set quarterfinal before dispatching rising American teenager Iva Jovic in the semifinals.
Next up is a clash with Yuliia Starodubtseva in Sunday’s tournament final. Pegula will look to hoist the Charleston trophy and complete a perfect weekend for her family’s sports empire.
