BSJ Game Report: Sabres 6, Bruins 4 - Third-period comeback not enough for Boston

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 6-4 loss to Buffalo in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

HEADLINES

Too little, too late

Well, the Bruins' six-game winning streak had to end at some point. But to have it end in the fashion it did is going to be a tough pill to swallow for what was a surging B's club.

Gifted with a chance to sweep the downtrodden Sabres in their three-game set and recoup points in the East Division, a disengaged Bruins team simply laid an egg for most of Friday night — with a spirited third-period comeback too little, too late in what was ultimately a 6-4 loss at KeyBank Center.

Even though the Bruins had some factors working against them in this one — be it fatigue from three games in four nights, post-vaccine effects or injuries — you're not going to find much sympathy on a night in which a team of Buffalo's caliber runs circles around you for roughly 85% of the game.

Things started off well after Steven Kampfer lit the lamp a little over two minutes into regulation, but things unraveled from there — with Buffalo scoring five unanswered goals and chasing Tuukka Rask from the contest early on the third period.

Trailing 5-1 with less than 10 minutes to go in regulation, Boston did make a game out of it — with Nick Ritchie, Kevan Miller and Taylor Hall all lighting the lamp in the span of 5:06 to suddenly cut the B's deficit to just one goal. But that was the closest that Boston would get, with a brutal turnover from David Pastrnak leading to an empty-net goal from Sam Reinhart snuffing out any chance of a B's comeback.

B's lose Bergeron ahead of puck drop

While Boston finally got Kevan Miller back in the lineup on Friday, it sure seems like Boston can't receive any good news on the injury front without getting some bad news along the way. While Bruce Cassidy expected no changes to his forward corps ahead of puck drop, Boston ultimately took to the ice without their captain — as Patrice Bergeron was ruled out of the contest due to a lower-body injury.

Granted, the news wasn't necessarily a shock, considering that Bergeron was certainly feeling the effects of a puck that rattled off his skate during Thursday's win over the Sabres.

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But without Bergeron in the middle, what had been a pretty structured and consistent group of forwards all fell out of whack. Still, that's not an excuse to explain Boston's efforts in this one, because a line with Charlie Coyle in between two all-world wingers in David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand should still be a buzzsaw each and every time they hop over the boards.

Hopefully for Boston, they get Bergeron back in the coming days, because they're going to need him in what it is looking like a crucial two-game set against the Penguins.

TWO UP

Steven Kampfer: An unsung hero on what has been a banged-up B's blue line all season long, Kampfer continues to serve as a solid depth option on this Bruins' roster. It seemed like it was going to be a promising night for Boston when Kampfer opened the scoring just 2:15 into the contest — with Taylor Hall generating a clean zone entry and setting up the veteran blueliner for a snipe from the slot. Kampfer was not done, recording assists on both Miller and Ritchie's goals to secure his first career three-point night.

Kevan Miller: While Boston's third-period rally ultimately came up short, it was good to see Miller finally get on the board with what stood as his first goal since December 27, 2017. It was far from the perfect night for the veteran, as he was caught puck watching on Casey Mittelstadt's second-period goal, but Boston will still certainly take him back in the lineup.

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THREE DOWN

Charlie Coyle: Even though he's been fighting the puck for an extended stretch now, the expectation was for Coyle and that top forward line to still be very effective — given both the opponent and the fact that Coyle still had Marchand and Pastrnak to his left and right. And yet, that top line failed to make much of a dent against Buffalo, with Coyle out for a pair of goals against — with the center's costly turnover giving Reinhart an easy power-play tally that stood as the eventual game-winner.

David Pastrnak: Coyle struggled to drive that line, but Pastrnak didn't do that top line any favors — with the winger continuing to whiff on one-timers that he's usually buried for years. Opting to not shoot in that final minute of play was a mind-boggling move, and it directly led to Buffalo's empty-net tally just seconds later.

The first 50 minutes of play: Let's be frank — we could include a TON of players in this section of our report, especially through the first 2 1/2 periods of play. Be it costly turnovers, missed reads, poor clears, costly turnovers and more — just about everyone on the Bruins roster stunk it up for most of the first 50 minutes of action.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Well, it was a good start, at least.

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PARTING THOUGHTS: Quite the fashion statement here.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

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LOOKING AHEAD: The Bruins will continue their road trip on Sunday with an afternoon matchup against the Penguins — who sit three points ahead of Boston in the East Division. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m.