Bruins beat Sabres in overtime

Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Boston Bruins earned an important two points in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race on Wednesday night thanks to a 4-3 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.

David Pastrnak scored and had two assists for the Bruins, including setting up the game-winner for Pavel Zacha to lead Boston to victory.

The Sabres needed to go on the defensive early, as captain Rasmus Dahlin got called for cross-checking just 21 seconds into the game.

However, it was Buffalo with the best scoring opportunity early, as winger Alex Tuch got sent in alone but couldn't notch the first goal of the game as he rang a wrist shot off the post.

Midway through the opening period, Boston got on the board as Pastrnak snapped home a nice feed from behind the net by Fraser Minten.

Later in the first period, Morgan Geekie was sent to the box for tripping and the Sabres took advantage.

Tage Thompson made a nice move along the blue line to set up Jason Zucker for a one-timer in the slot to even the game at 1-1 on the power play.

The two teams skated on an extended 4-on-4 as Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo and Sabres winger Beck Malenstyn were both called for penalties after a scrum on a covered puck in the Boston crease. Then Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was called for holding and Sabres center Josh Norris for interference on the same play.

Just after the penalties expired, the Bruins took a 2-1 lead after Pastrnak was sent in alone and poke-checked by Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, but Viktor Arvidsson followed up and put home the loose puck midway through the second period.

Just after killing off an early Logan Stanley tripping penalty in the third period, Sabres winger Zach Benson tied the game at 2-2, as he got in alone behind the Boston defense.

Right after the goal, Mason Lohrei got called for cross-checking Benson into the net, giving Buffalo another chance on the power play.

Thompson and Zucker teamed up once more on the ensuing man advantage, as Zucker netted his second goal of the night to give Buffalo a 3-2 lead.

Both Buffalo goals came in just a 33-second span.

Boston tied the game with just six minutes remaining in regulation, as a point show from Bruins defenseman Jonathan Aspirot's went wide, but took a wild bounce off the back wall and landed in the Buffalo crease. That’s where former Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt put home the game-tying goal.

The game headed to overtime and after winning the opening faceoff, Boston never relinquished possession.

It was Zacha scoring the game-winning goal just 38 seconds into the extra frame, as he fired a shot through the five-hole of Luukkonen to have the Sabres a second-straight loss in overtime.

Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins was activated from Injured Reserve before the game and was paired with Logan Stanley on the night. Timmins skated 22 shifts for 15:30 of ice-time, and registered two shots on goal in his return.

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SCORING RECAP

First Period:
BUF: 15:18 - Jason Zucker (21) PPG (Tage Thompson, Jack Quinn)
BOS: 11:07 - David Pastrnak (29) (Fraser Minten, Marat Khusnutdinov)

Second Period:
BUF: NONE
BOS: 9:20 - Viktor Arvidsson (20) (David Pastrnak, Nikita Zadorov)

Third Period:
BUF: 5:21 - Zach Benson (10) (Unassisted); 5:54 - Jason Zucker (22) PPG (Tage Thompson)
BOS: 14:00 - Casey Mittelstadt (14) (Jonathan Aspirot, Pavel Zacha)

Overtime:
BUF: NONE
BOS: 0:38 - Pavel Zacha (24) (David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy)

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STATS OF THE GAME:

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BlueStar Home Services Three Stars of the Game:

1.) David Pastrnak – BOS
2.) Jason Zucker – BUF
3.) Pavel Zacha - BOS

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What's next:

The Sabres continue their four-game homestand on Friday, as the Detroit Red Wings pay a visit to KeyBank Center for a 7 p.m. faceoff in Downtown Buffalo. Catch all of the action on WGR Sports Radio 550, starting with pregame coverage at 6 p.m. with Mike Schopp and the Bulldog.