The Buffalo Sabres' struggles against the Bruins continued on Thursday night, as the blue and gold were crushed by Boston 5-1 inside KeyBank Center.
Brad Marchand and the Bruins opened the scoring just as they did on Tuesday in the first period of play. It was the star winger's second goal in as many games against the Sabres this week as Boston took a 1-0 edge 12:36 into the game.
Buffalo evened the score 5:27 into the second period when Dylan Cozens broke up a pass at the Boston blue line. Cozens dished the puck off to Anders Bjork, who skated down the right wing boards. Bjork then looked across the ice and found Arrtu Ruotsalainen crashing the net.
It was Ruotsalainen's third goal of the season.
The Bruins took the lead back with 7:11 to play in the middle stanza, when Dustin Tokarski was the victim of some friendly fire. Immediately after an offensive zone faceoff win, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk's point shot appeared to change direction off the stick of Tobias Rieder before finding its way behind Tokarski.
Boston pulled away from Buffalo in the final period of regulation, when forwards David Pastrnak and Nick Ritchie scored goals in quick succession. Just 66 seconds separated the tallies, from the 4:55 to the 6:01 mark of the frame.
The third period onslaught continued when forward David Krejci deposited his sixth goal of the campaign in behind Tokarski with 1:58 to play.
Not to be lost in the shuffle was another forgettable performance by the Sabres' powerplay. The blue and gold have now gone 0-for-11 on the man advantage this week against the Bruins after an 0-for-5 effort on Thursday.
Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) David Pastrnak - BOS
2.) Brad Marchand - BOS
3.) Patrice Bergeron - BOS
What's Next:
The blue and gold wrap up their makeshift three-game series with the Bruins tomorrow night, April 23. Puck drop inside KeyBank Center is set for 7 p.m. EST, and the Paul William Beltz Pregame Show with Mike Schopp and the Bulldog starts at 6 p.m. EST on the radio home of the Buffalo Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.
