By: Liz Rizzo | Follow me on Twitter @pastagrl88
The Boston Bruins have now added another notch to their historic season. With the win tonight over the Buffalo Sabres, Boston has now become the fastest team in NHL history to get to 100 points in 61 games.
Boston has now won their last nine games and solidified their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite missing two key players (Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno), the B’s all-around team effort continues to be a key factor in their success.
GAME RECAP
The boys in black and gold took some time during the first period to gain momentum against a young Sabres team. As the period wore on, Boston had multiple close opportunities but were unable to get the puck in past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The Bruins ended the first period scoreless and outshooting Buffalo 11-9. Connor Clifton had the only penalty to close out the period.
Both teams saw time in the penalty box however the Bruins would take full advantage during the power play. Newcomer Dmitry Orlov scored his first goal on home ice at 12:01 during the man advantage. Hampus Lindholm and David Pastrnak would get the assist on the goal.
Jakub Lauko (who was recalled from Providence) made it 2-0 after picking up a loose puck from a rebound shot by Brandon Carlo; Orlov also tallied his 200th NHL career assist on the Lauko goal.
Brad Marchand, unfortunately, did not return to the game due to a lower-body injury possibly due to a tough hit from behind. Boston closed out the second period outshooting Buffalo 16 to 7.
The Bruins’ would completely blow out the Sabres during the final period as they extended the lead by scoring five extra goals. Pavel Zacha made it 3-0 at 8:35 after scoring off a David Krejci feed.
As time ticked away, the Sabres pulled their goalie to give the team an extra attacker. After signing an eight-year, $90 million dollar contract, David Pastrnak celebrated the night by scoring an empty-netter giving the B’s a 4-0 lead.
Buffalo dashed any hopes for a shutout when Casey Mittelstadt wristed the puck past Jeremy Swayman, temporarily cutting into the B’s lead. With just a bit over four minutes left in the period, Boston would go on the penalty kill when Tomas Nosek was nabbed for hooking against Kyle Okposo. Buffalo once again would pull the goalie for the extra attacker however the move proved to be futile. Bruins’ Captain Patrice Bergeron made it 5-1 by sizzling a 200-foot shorthanded goal on the empty net.
With the Sabres still on the power play, Connor Clifton scored another short-handed goal extending the lead to 6-1.
The final nail in the coffin came courtesy of Jakub Lauko who nabbed his second goal of the night, making the final score 7-1. Total shots on goal had the Bruins outshooting the Sabres 42 to 27. Both Pastrnak and Orlov tallied three points in tonight’s historical win, while Charlie Coyle came away with two points. Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves tonight while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves.
NEXT GAME: Saturday, March 4th against New York Rangers with puck drop at 1:00 PM
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