Boston Bruins: 3 Takeaways From a 6-2 Win Over Buffalo

1. Bruins have a strong first period.

This season, the Bruins have struggled in the first period of afternoon games, but Saturday, it was a different story. They looked like a team that was in search of points to extend their lead in the playoff race.

Craig Smith opened the scoring just 1:21 into the game with his first of three goals when he tipped in a David Krejci pass in front of the net.

Boston outplayed the Sabres for much of the period, but their two power play chances that ended up being back-to-back actually cost them. Mattias Samuelsson was called for tripping with one second left on a Riley Sheahan penalty giving the Bruins a 5-on-3. On the ensuing faceoff won by the visitors, Jacob Bryson lofted a pass to center ice to Sheahan coming out of the penalty box and he beat Jeremy Swayman to tie the game.

The Bruins failed to score on the power play in the first period and it was really the only time in the 20 minutes where they didn’t outplay Buffalo.

Sean Kuraly scored his first goal in 31 games late in the period for a 2-1 Bruins lead when he knocked in a bouncing puck. Overall, the Bruins did a nice job of getting pucks to the net in the first period and outshot Buffalo, 17-4. Bruce Cassidy could not have asked for a better start to the game from his team. The Bruins finished the game outshooting Buffalo, 43-19. Total domination.

2. All four lines were active.

Three of the four lines the Bruins rolled out against the Sabres found the back of the net. That’s secondary scoring at its finest.

The second line opened the scoring on Smith’s first goal of the day in the opening period, while the fourth line got on the scoresheet when Kuraly swatted home a rebound at the end of the first period. Smith added two goals in the third period to complete his first hat trick as a Bruin.

In the second period, the top line got a goal when captain Patrice Bergeron set up a perfect screen in front of Sabres’ goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen on Jeremy Lauzon’s slap shot. Bergeron was able to corral the rebound and slide inside the post for a 3-1 lead.

Nick Ritchie got into the fun in the third period he redirected Matt Grzelcyk’s slap shot past Dustin Tokarski.

All 12 of the Bruins forwards that played in the game recorded at least one shot on the net, with Karson Kuhlman, who played in place of Chris Wagner, pumping a career-high and team-high six shots on the net, and that was through just two periods.

Jake DeBrusk returned to the lineup for Trent Frederic on a line with Kuhlman and Curtis Lazar. Though he failed to score, DeBrusk finished with a shot on the net, but the line was active all game long like the other three lines.

3. Special teams

After failing to capitalize in their first three power plays, the Bruins scored a man-advantage goal late in the third period when Smith completed his hat trick when he tipped a pass from Krejci by Tokarski.

In the first three opportunities, the Bruins went scoreless with four shots on the net. With Boston closing in on a playoff berth, it might be time for Cassidy to try some different things. Earlier this season, he went with a five-forward power play when Grzelcyk was out injured and it fared well. Will he go to that in the playoffs? Unlikely, but hey, anything that can get the units going is worth a shot as the regular season schedule comes to a close.

There has been less practice time available for Boston due to the condensed schedule of the season, but with the way the Bruins are playing now, if they ever get the power play producing, then watch out come playoff time.

It was another perfect game for the Bruins’ second-ranked penalty kill. In two chances, the Sabres came up empty. In their chance in the third period, Jeremy Swayman, who won his sixth NHL game in eight tries this season, made a nice glove save.

It was another strong performance for the Bruins against the Sabres to complete the two-game sweep before heading South to New Jersey for two games beginning Monday night.