Final: Bruins 4, Sabres 3 (F/OT) - Zacha scores overtime winner

The Boston Bruins bounce back with a comeback overtime victory against the Buffalo Sabres at Key Bank Arena.

After a 4-2 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs yesterday, the Bruins traveled to take on the Eastern Conference leading Sabres and played a competitive game of hockey by making up for costly mistakes.

The Bruins gave up their third period lead by allowing back-to-back goals, but two key goals in crunch time from Boston's second line helped them pick up the two points in the contest.

Joonas Korpisalo was the starting goaltender for Boston, and the Bruins limited initial shots on net to start the game. As the Sabres tried to generate shots at Korpisalo, the Bruins scored the game's first goal midway through the first period. Following a face-off win at Buffalo's blue line, the Bruins made their way into the offensive zone, and Frasier Minten found David Pastrnak in the slot for a snap shot goal.

Two minutes following Boston's goal, Elias Lindholm gave the Bruins their first penalty of the game, and the Sabres scored on the man advantage with Tage Thompson sliding a pass to Jason Zucker across the top face-off circle for another snap shot goal. Both teams went into the first intermission tied 1-1.

Midway through the second period, the Bruins took the lead back with a goal from Viktor Arvidsson. As the Sabres attempted to throw the puck out of their zone, Nikita Zadorov collected the buck inside the blue line and found Pastrnak for a short-ice breakaway chance. Pastrnak's initial shot was saved by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, but a second chance opportunity by Arvidsson found its way into the back of the net.

The Bruins were up 2-1 entering the third period, but a costly mistake on the power play flipped the game. Four minutes into the third period, the Logan Stanley was called for a tripping penalty, giving the Bruins their second power play opportunity of the game. 

In the winding minutes of the man advantage, Mason Lohrei failed to obtain the puck at the red line on a Sabres dump. Zach Benson retrieved the puck from Lohrei and tied the game with a breakaway goal. 

Following the goal, Lohrei was called for a cross-check on Benson to put the Sabres on the man advantage. And 23 seconds into their power play, Zucker scored his second goal off another pass from Thompson to put the Sabres in front.

The Bruins were down for the first time in the game with 14 minutes remaining in regulation, but they found a way to tie the game for a third time. Seven minutes in the third period, Boston's second line entered the offensive zone and found Jonathan Aspirot at the left point. Aspirot fired an errant shot off boards behind the net, and Casey Mittelstadt collected the rebound for the tying goal which sent the game to overtime.

And 18 seconds into overtime, the Bruins cycled the puck and rushed into Buffalo's zone on a three-on-three. Pastrnak skated through center ice and found Pavel Zacha to his left, and Zacha ripped a wrist shot past Luukkonen to give the Bruins the victory and a much needed extra points.

Boston's second line has been a main catalyst to their success over this stretch of hockey, and tonight they showed up in the scoresheet with forward recording a goal in this contest. Pastrnak was also the leading point scorer, adding three more points to put him at 90 points on the season. 

With no Jeremey Swayman in net, the Bruins played a quality game of a hockey against the best team in the Eastern Conference, keeping their position as the top wild card team.

The Bruins will now head back to Boston to take on the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Puck drop will take place at 5 p.m.

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WHO: Bruins (39-24-8) at Sabres (44-20-7)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Key Bank Arena, Buffalo
TV: TNT
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub

LIVE BOX SCORE

PROJECTED LINES

Boston

Khusnutdinov - Minten - Pastrnak

Mittelstadt - Zacha - Arvidsson

Reichel - E. Lindholm - Geekie

Jeannot - Kuraly - Kastelic

Aspirot  McAvoy

H. Lindholm - Lohrei

Zadorov - Peeke

Korpisalo

Swayman

Buffalo

Krebbs - Thompson - Tuch

Zucker - McLeod - Quinn

Ostlund - Norris - Doan

Benson - Carrick - Malenstyn

Samuelsson - Dahlin

Power - Byram

Stanley - Timmins

Luukonen

Lyon

PREGAME NOTES

The Boston Bruins play the second game of a back-to-back against the Buffalo Sabres.

Yesterday, the Bruins lost to the Maple Leafs 4-2. After scoring the first goal Boston allowed three consecutive goals.

James Hagens will make his AHL debut tonight.