Connor Clifton had a primary assist on Buffalo’s second goal and threw a big hit that created the 2-on-1 that led to the Sabres’ third goal in a well-deserved, 3-1 road win over the sluggish Bruins on Thursday night at the Garden.
The main concern from the Bruins’ end will be Charlie McAvoy, who ran face first into a Sabres forward near the Bruins bench early in the third period. McAvoy left and did not return.
THIRD PERIOD
The Bruins upped their intensity in the final period, simplifying, getting more pucks behind the Buffalo defensemen and going to work, but this time when Shattenkirk went to support the attack, Clifton leveled his replacement, taking him out of the play.
The Sabres’ Victor Olofsson scored on the ensuing 2-on-1 to make it a 3-1 game at 11:17.
Marchand’s frustration got the better of him when he stuck out his right leg and was called for tripping Henri Jokiharju. The Sabres thought Marchand was undercutting Jokiharju’s leg, and a linesman literally tackled Marchand rather than let him respond and fight one of the angry Sabres.
Olofsson, and Shattenkirk from the Clifton hit, were no worse for wear, playing on after the Bruins got the kill they desperately needed to preserve any hope of a comeback.
But the Sabres deserved everything they’ve gotten tonight at TD Garden, and they were in no mood to cough up their hard-earned lead.
Shots with 4:37 remaining in regulation: 35-19 Buffalo, and the margin was reflective of Boston’s one-and-done offense for too much of the evening, including the entire first period.
Jim Montgomery pulled Linus Ullmark with approximately three minutes remaining in regulation and Buffalo ahead 3-1.
The Bruins came to scoring a couple of times, but the Sabres blocked some shots. Pastrnak just missed an own goal that slid wide of the right post.
Final shots: 35-31 Buffalo.
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SE0COND PERIOD
Dylan Cozens drew the puck back to JJ Peterka, whose wrist shot beat Ullmark to the top corner at 1:18 of the period to give the Sabres their first reward of the night.
Pavel Zacha lost that draw. He had gone 1-3 on the dot in the opening period.
Seven minutes into the second period, Morgan Geekie, skating with David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk generated and sustained pressure in the Buffalo end for the first time of the game. Kevin Shattenkirk was instrumental in sustaining the pressure, roving all over the offensive zone to provide passing targets and recover contested pucks.
Just as the Bruins started getting their changes, the Sabres iced the puck and were helped by a TV timeout.
It looked as though the Bruins might even the game, but instead Connor Clifton pinched down the right boards, picking off Hampus Lindholm’s clearing pass and centering to Tage Thompson, who rifled the puck past Ullmark to make it 2-0.
As he’s been doing, Brad Marchand made a timely scoring play.
Taking the puck from Lindholm, Marchand took the puck on the cycle from behind the Buffalo net, curled it back into the right circle and fired toward the crease. The puck deflected off defenseman Erik Johnson and in behind Devon Levi.
The second period ended 2-1 Buffalo.
The Bruins outshot the Sabres, 12-8, in the second period. Shots after two, 28-18 Buffalo.
FIRST PERIOD
Once again, the Bruins show poor puck management in their own end, allowing the Buffalo Sabres to rack up scoring chances that the Bruins are fortunate to see Linus Ullmark turn away.
Charlie McAvoy sent a wrist shot through traffic and off the far goal post, but the Bruins have been otherwise one and done. Shots were 11-4 Buffalo eight minutes into the game.
Brad Marchand pushed the envelope as the Bruins tried to generate some of their own sustained pressure, but his effort went out of the parameters allowed and he took a seat in the penalty box for hooking at 10:37.
Buffalo didn’t score on the powerplay, but the Sabres thought they’d earned the game’s first goal in a furious puck scrum that saw Ullmark fall backwards as the puck went in.
The ruling on the ice was no goal, after which the officials conferred, changing their minds and calling it a goal. The Bruins then challenged for goalie interference and won, as the officials changed their mind and determined that Peyton Krebs pushed Ullmark’s left pad into the net with his stick, rendering the Bruins goaltender unable to recover and fairly play his position.
That was about the best thing to happen to the Bruins in what was otherwise a dismal opening period, riddled with turnovers and a resultant 20-6 shots advantage for the Sabres at the end of the period.
PREGAME
Modern-day fans have no idea how magical those words were from 1970-95, and you can probably extend that to the teams’ second-round playoff series in ’99.
Other than the era when the Bruins faced Adams Division rivals eight or, in one case every year, nine times, playoffs are when rivalries are forged.
The Bruins and Buffalo haven’t played too many series, just eight … here’s what they did:
1981-82: 3-1 Bruins
1982-83: 4-3 Bruins
1987-88: 4-2 Bruins
1988-89: 4-1 Bruins
1991-92: 4-3 Bruins
1992-93: 4-0 Buffalo
1998-99: 4-2 Buffalo
2009-10: 4-2 Bruins
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 