Bruins show they're quick learners in Game 2 win

Consider some lessons learned. The Boston Bruins took a 2-0 lead for a second straight game Tuesday night in Buffalo, but this time they didn't just sit back and try to hang on. They pushed for a third and fourth goal.

And this time, when the Sabres did finally push to cut the lead to 4-2, Bruins coach Marco Sturm called a timeout to settle his group down. They responded, didn't let Buffalo get any closer, and closed out the 4-2 victory to tie this best-of-seven first-round series at a game apiece.

The Bruins took control of the game with a dominant second period, outshooting the Sabres 11-7 and building up a 3-0 lead after a scoreless first.

The Bruins' second line, called out by Sturm after Game 1 for not being good enough, opened the scoring 4:54 into the second period of Game 2. Viktor Arvidsson flew the zone after a Sabres turnover and tracked down a Jonathan Aspirot stretch pass before sliding a backhander five-hole on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

The second goal was an absolute disaster for Luukkonen. With 3:31 left in the second, Morgan Geekie flipped a puck on goal from center ice before heading for a line change… and watched as it somehow bounced right past Luukkonen and into the net for Geekie's second goal of the series.

James Hagens drew an interference penalty on Tage Thompson a minute later by driving hard to the net, and the Boston power play took just 15 seconds to convert. Geekie made a nice play to keep the puck in the zone, and then David Pastrnak set up Pavel Zacha for a redirect goal in the slot to make it 3-0.

Boston's second line struck again just 16 seconds into the third, with Arvidsson taking off 2-on-1 on a chip out of the zone from Casey Mittelstadt and burying his second goal of the game. That chased Luukkonen (4 goals on 19 shots) from the game, with Alex Lyon coming in to replace him.

The Sabres did eventually push back in the third period, scoring two goals 1:14 apart to make it a 4-2 game with 4:52 to go. There would be no miracle comeback this time, though, as Jeremy Swayman and the Bruins shut the door the rest of the way.

Standing in stark contrast to Luukkonen, Swayman stopped 34 of the 36 shots he faced in Game 2. He made 10 of those saves on the penalty kill, helping Boston's PK go a perfect 5-for-5. The Sabres' power play, by the way, is now in an 0-for-32 drought dating back to April 2.

The series now shifts to Boston, with Game 3 scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday night at TD Garden.