Bruins at Sabres
After facing little resistance en route to seizing the Presidents' Trophy in 2013-14, the Boston Bruins have found competition to be tough in the early going this season. The Bruins look to prevent a fifth loss in six contests when they visit the Atlantic Division-rival Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Traditionally a defensive-minded team, Boston didn't resemble the part as Tuukka Rask was relieved after yielding five goals on 23 shots in the team's 6-4 loss to Montreal on Thursday.
"That's not us. We're a team that prides ourself on our defense," blue-liner Torey Krug told CSN New England. "We didn't collapse on the net like we normally do, so shame on us for not doing that. We need to get back to our defensive way in that next game." Boston won just three of its five meetings last season with the sputtering Sabres, who suffered a 1-0 setback to Florida on Friday. The loss was Buffalo's third straight at home to begin the season after dropping a franchise-worst nine such contests to begin the 2013-14 campaign.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), MSG (Buffalo)
ABOUT THE BRUINS (2-4-0): Frustration clearly was evident as Milan Lucic made an obscene gesture toward the fans in Montreal in the waning moments of Thursday's game, resulting in a $5,000 fine by the league the following day. Lucic notched a pair of assists versus the Canadiens for his first points of the season while increasing his career total to 300. The burly star has grown more accustomed to the penalty box of late, registering 12 minutes of infractions in two of his last four games.
ABOUT THE SABRES (1-4-0): Matt Moulson was denied in his bid for his first goal of the season by Roberto Luongo from close range on a pair of opportunities early in the second period. "We have to be better from the start," the 30-year-old Moulson said. "We have to get more shots on net. Get a greasy one (and) build confidence." Moulson could do precisely that versus Boston, against which he has recorded 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 20 career meetings.
OVERTIME
1. Boston LW Simon Gagne scored his first goal after signing a one-year deal earlier this week and needs just two points to reach 600 in his career.
2. The Sabres failed on all five power-play opportunities Friday to drop to 0-for-15 with the man advantage on the season.
3. The Bruins have permitted six power-play goals in their last five games while going just 3-for-19 with the man advantage in 2014-15.