Bruins beat Sabres, run streak to 3-0-1
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron scored, and Tuukka Rask made 35 saves to lead the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
Boston has won two in a row and is 3-0-1 in its last four games.
Evander Kane scored for the Sabres (9-10-5). Robin Lehner made 29 saves.
Krejci opened the scoring with 5:50 remaining in the first period on a deflection in front of the net. Krejci redirected defenseman Brandon Carlo's shot from the point for his fifth goal of the year.
The Sabres briefly thought they tied the score with 2:50 remaining in the second but captain Brian Gionta's goal was waved off. Gionta kicked the puck into the net with his left skate and clearly used a kicking motion.
Bergeron made it 2-0 7:44 into the third. The Boston center knocked the puck out of the air with his left hand and eventually collected it on the other side of the net, tucking in a backhand shot for his fourth goal of the year.
The Sabres quickly answered on Kane's first goal of the season to cut Boston's lead to 2-1. With center Sam Reinhart stationed behind the Bruins' net, Reinhart found Kane rushing inside the left circle and the power forward’s quick shot went into the top of the net at 9:12.
The Sabres had a late power-play opportunity with 6:29 remaining but were unable to tie the score.
Bruins left winger Matt Beleskey left the game early in the second period because of a lower-body injury and did not return. Beleskey was shaken up after a hit by Sabres forward Taylor Fedun near the Sabres blue line.
Sabres defenseman Brendan Guhle played in his first career game. The 19-year-old was recalled from the WHL on an emergency basis with injuries depleting Buffalo's defensive corps.
Guhle was a second-round pick of the Sabres in 2015.
NOTES: The Sabres were without three of their top defensemen, as Josh Gorges (foot), Zach Bogosian (knee sprain) and Dmitry Kulikov (lower back) all were scratched. Gorges is expected to miss some time after injuring a foot on a blocked shot in Thursday's win over the New York Rangers. ... D Zdeno Chara (lower body), RW Jimmy Hayes and D Tommy Cross were scratched for the Bruins. Chara, the Bruins' captain, has missed six games because of a lower-body injury. ... This was the second of four games between the teams this season. Their next meeting is on Thursday, Dec. 29, in Buffalo.