BUFFALO, N.Y. — Mattias Samuelsson knew what to expect. He’s been with the Sabres long enough to have gotten a taste of how rowdy the home crowd in Buffalo is when the team gives them a reason to be.

With the Sabres riding a seven-game winning streak coming into a home game against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, this team had finally given Sabres fans a good reason to show up.

“I’m sure people are still on their holiday benders, so it should definitely be a fun atmosphere,” Samuelsson said at Buffalo’s morning skate. “Games like RJ’s last game, Ryan Miller Night, have been fully juiced up. Those are some of my best memories in this building. Expecting one of those.”

It might not have been quite on that level, but the Sabres had their fifth sell-out crowd of the season, already surpassing last season’s total. The building was buzzing throughout a convincing 4-1 win from the Sabres that stretched their winning streak to eight games.

Samuelsson was the main event in this game. The Sabres fell behind 1-0 in the first on a David Pastrnak goal, but at the start of the second period, Samuelsson provided the spark. Early in the second period, he laid a huge hit in the defensive zone to end a play and started the rush the other way. Ryan McLeod finished with a goal on the rush to tie the game.

Less than two minutes later, Samuelsson picked up another assist when Peyton Krebs scored on a deflection. Later in the period, Samuelsson helped make it three straight goals for the Sabres when he ripped a shot by Joonas Korpisalo to make it 3-1.

“His physicality has been really good this year,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “He ends a lot of plays. He’s really on top of his game. From what he’s done chipping in offensively, the work he’s done on the PK and then playing against every top line in big minutes every night, he’s really playing a good brand of hockey for us.”

Samuelsson’s performance was even more critical because it came with Rasmus Dahlin out of the lineup. Dahlin is still back in Sweden, spending time with his fiancée, as she continues her recovery from a heart transplant. He is expected to join the team in St. Louis for its upcoming road trip. Before this game, the Sabres were 0-10-2 in the last two seasons with Dahlin out of the lineup.

Thanks, in part, to Samuelsson eating up nearly 25 minutes, blocking two shots, adding six hits and chipping in three points, the Sabres were able to get a win for their captain, who was up watching the game after midnight in Sweden.

“I don’t think I went into the game thinking I got to fill that gap that Ras obviously fills, but I just tried to step up anyway I could, play a lot of minutes in his absence and try to help the team win,” Samuelsson said. “If that was block 10 shots and play good defense, then I would’ve done that, but (I was) lucky enough to chip in offensively.”

Samuelsson now has 18 points this season and is plus-15. Only 13 defensemen in the NHL have more points at five-on-five this season, and only six defensemen have been on the ice for more of their team’s five-on-five goals than Samuelsson.