Just one day after the firing of head coach Ralph Krueger, the Buffalo Sabres played host to the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at KeyBank Center. Interim bench boss Don Granato oversaw his first game for the blue and gold, in what marked the official back-half of the 56-game 2020-21 season.
Unfortunately for Granato and the Sabres, the song remained the same.
The blue and gold were defeated for the 13th-straight game, as they were downed by the Bruins by a final score of 4-1. It was the first of these teams' eight meetings in the shortened season.
The Bruins struck first less than three minutes into the contest when forward Greg McKegg deflected a point shot in front of Carter Hutton for his first goal of the season.
Buffalo answered back less than two minutes into the second period. Veteran forward Kyle Okposo scored a goal in a way he never had before in his 14-year career.
Assisting on the shorthanded tally was defenseman Jacob Bryson. It was the rookie's first helper of his young career.
Okposo's goal was also Buffalo's first shorthanded goal of the season.
Boston made it a 2-1 contest later in the middle stanza when, this time, they capitalized on a man advantage. It was forward Jake DeBrusk doing the damage for the visitors.
The Sabres' deficit swelled to two with 84 seconds left in the second period. The Bruins put together a dangerous offensive zone possession, capped off by a Craig Smith goal. It was the veteran's fifth goal of the season.
On a 5-on-3 power play in the third period, Boston upped their lead to 4-1. Superstar winger David Pastrnak wired a one-time blast between Hutton and the right post for his 14th goal of the campaign. Assisting on the man advantage goal was David Krejci. It was his third helper of the evening.
That capped the scoring, as Buffalo's record dropped to 6-19-4 through 29 games. Their last victory came back on Feb. 23 against the New Jersey Devils.
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GAME SUMMARY
Goal Summary:
First Period:
BUF: NONE
BOS: 2:56 - Greg McKegg (1) (Matt Grzelcyk)
Second Period:
BUF: 1:54 - Kyle Okposo (1) SHG (Jacob Bryson)
BOS: 9:15 - Jake DeBrusk (3) PPG (David Pastrnak, David Krejci); 18:36 - Craig Smith (5) (David Krejci, Connor Clifton)
Third Period:
BUF: NONE
BOS: 4:44 - David Pastrnak (14) PPG (David Krejci, Brad Marchand)
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Penalty Summary:
First Period:
BUF: NONE
BOS: NONE
Second Period:
BUF: 0:25 - Cody Eakin (Hooking - 2 min.); 7:35 - Matt Irwin (High-sticking - 2 min.)
BOS: 9:37 - Oskar Steen (Holding the stick - 2 min.)
Third Period:
BUF: 2:59 - Victor Olofsson (Holding - 2 min.); 4:13 - Brandon Montour (Interference - 2 min.); 10:31 - Eric Staal (Holding - 2 min.)
BOS: NONE
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Losi and Gangi Three Stars of the Game:
1.) David Pastrnak - BOS
2.) David Krejci - BOS
3.) Jake DeBrusk - BOS
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What's Next:
The blue and gold ready up for meeting No. 2 with this same Bruins team on Saturday afternoon in Buffalo. Puck drop at KeyBank Center is set for 1 p.m. ET with the Paul William Beltz Pregame Show starting at 12 p.m. ET with Brian Koziol on the radio home of the Sabres - WGR Sports Radio 550.