Bruins shut out skidding Sabres
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Anton Khudobin made 36 saves to lead the Boston Bruins to a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.
It was Khudobin's first shutout of the season and the sixth of his career. Jake DeBrusk, Tim Schaller and David Backes scored for Boston (17-10-5).
Khudobin had several impressive saves throughout the evening.
The backup goaltender came up big midway through the second period with a left pad save on Sabres leading scorer Evander Kane. The Bruins scored on the ensuing rush on the other end.
Khudobin also stopped Kane from close range with a chest save eight minutes into the third period.
DeBrusk opened the scoring midway through the second period on an exceptional one-man effort. DeBrusk picked the puck up at center ice, skated around Sabres winger Jason Pominville and ripped a wrist shot into the top of the net from the right circle for his eighth goal of the season.
Schaller added an empty-net goal with 1:51 remaining, banking a shot off the boards from deep in his own end. Backes added another empty-netter with 30.2 seconds remaining.
Robin Lehner made 30 saves for Buffalo (8-19-7). The Sabres have lost three games in a row and six of their past seven games (2-2-3). Buffalo has only three wins going back to Nov. 10 (3-11-5).
Buffalo's best chance to get on the scoreboard came late in the second period. With 1:31 remaining, Kyle Okposo and Benoit Pouliot came close on a two-on-one, but Pouliot's late shot fell wide. Seconds later Pouliot missed an open net from the left circle.
Things got chippy five minutes into the game after a hard hit by Boston's Kevan Miller on Sabres center Jacob Josefson. Because Josefson recently returned from an ankle injury, Miller was immediately challenged by Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian to a fight. Miller had the upper hand in the skirmish.
NOTES: D Josh Gorges, C Scott Wilson and D Justin Falk were scratched for the Sabres. ... D Paul Postma, C David Krejci and C Frank Vatrano were scratched for the Bruins. Krejci missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Earlier in the season, he missed 11 games with a back injury. ... This was the second of four meetings between the teams this season. The next meeting takes place Feb. 10 in Boston. ... Bruins C Tim Schaller spent two seasons with the Sabres, playing for Buffalo and the AHL's Rochester Americans. He played in 35 games for Buffalo, recording two goals and three assists.