BSJ Game Report: Bruins 3, Sabres 2 (SO) - New-look lineup outlasts Buffalo in shootout

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 3-2 shootout win over the Sabres in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

HEADLINES

B's outlast Buffalo in shootout

Securing two points by way of a shootout over the lowly Sabres might seem like a Pyrrhic victory for a Bruins team that should, in reality, mop the floor against a sullen Buffalo bunch — but a win's a win for a new-look B's roster.

With three new regulars incorporated into the lineup, the B's did just enough to take care of business on Tuesday night, with both Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk scoring in the shootout to secure a 3-2 win for Boston.

The buzz around the Bruins on Tuesday might have revolved around the debuts of their three deadline pickups in Taylor Hall, Mike Reilly and Curtis Lazar, but it was the play of the B's top offseason acquisition that stole most of the headlines — as Craig Smith continued his scorching-hot scoring streak with another two-point night. David Krejci also scored in the opening period, knocking home a rebound generated off of a point shot from Jeremy Lauzon.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 of the 23 shots that came his way in the win, including three key stops in overtime and the shootout.

New guys impress

They didn't exactly factor into the scoreboard, but Hall, Reilly and Lazar all made their presence felt in Tuesday's win.

While his primary helper on Smith's goal was wiped off the scoresheet upon further review, Hall settled down from some early jitters and miscues as the game progressed — with his presence probably best felt with his transition game, regularly gaining clean entries and moving the puck past bodies entrenched in the neutral zone. Not an immediate breakthrough for Hall — but plenty of stuff to build off of.

Reilly was solid on the blue line, tying Lauzon for the second-most ice time in the win (22:17) while getting three pucks through from the point — a pleasant surprise given how much Boston has labored when it comes to D getting pucks through shooting lanes this season. Lazar's game might have popped the most among the three, with the fourth-line pivot routinely extending O-zone possessions and feeding both Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner with Grade-A looks. He could really give that hot-and-cold checking line a major lift moving forward.

THREE UP

Craig Smith: It took him a bit to heat up, but Smith has been leading the way up front for Boston for close to a month now. Regardless of where he's slotted into the lineup, it seems like the winger keeps on producing. With his two-point showing on Tuesday, Smith now has 15 points in his last 13 games.

https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/1382134590618411009

Curtis Lazar: A bit of bad luck in that the B's fourth line was knocked for a goal against on a shot from Rasmus Dahlin that ricocheted off of a couple bodies before sailing past Swayman, but Lazar was very impactful in his B's debut — headlined by this crisp feed below in which he set up a 2-on-1 rush for his wingers. Despite having 14.29% of their faceoffs in the offensive zone, that fourth line really tilted the ice in their favor — with Boston holding an 11-6 edge in shot attempts what the Kuraly-Lazar-Wagner was out on the ice together.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1382125555093549059

Jeremy Swayman: Swayman may not have faced a high volume of shots, but the rookie goalie made the stops that mattered down the stretch, including a couple of Grade-A looks in the third period and overtime to keep two points in play for the B's.

TWO DOWN

Nick Ritchie: He certainly was noticeable in his team-low 10:25 of ice time thanks to a scrap and some heavy hits, but Ritchie was also knocked for a weak board battle against the much smaller Dylan Cozens in the first period — with the Sabres skater recovering the puck and leading to Colin Miller's goal shortly thereafter.

David Pastrnak: Pastrnak failing to bury a Grade-A, one-time chance in the closing minutes of the third was another emphatic stamp on what has been a brutal slump for the B's winger over the last few weeks. Over his last six games, Pastrnak has only landed 18 shots on net — and zero goals to show for it.

PLAY OF THE GAME

A filthy shot from DeBrusk to close out this one.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1382150552642027525

PARTING THOUGHTS

Word to the wise — don't fight Kevan Miller. It usually doesn't end well.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1382128529731682305

Also maybe don't fight Ritchie. Also not a great time.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1382124873565286404

QUOTE OF THE DAY

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1382155958265245698

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will continue their homestand on Thursday when they welcome the Islanders to TD Garden. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. Boston is hoping to get Tuukka Rask back in net for the bout against one of the top dogs in the East.