The Boston Bruins are back in the win column.
The Bruins beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in a shootout at TD Garden on Tuesday night in their first game after Monday’s NHL trade deadline.
David Krejci, Craig Smith had the regulation tallies for the Bruins, while Charlie Coyle and Jake DeBrusk (game-winner) scored in the shootout. Colin Miller, Rasmus Dahlin scored for the Sabres. Taylor Hall also amassed his first point in an eight-spoked B uniform.
With the win, the Bruins moved to 22-12-6, while the Sabres fell to 10-25-7.
Here’s how it all went down:
ALL TIED UP
Buffalo needed just 1:52 to draw first blood when Miller sent a heck of a slap shot from the high point by Swayman for 1-0 lead.
The fourth line on Sean Kuraly, Curtis Lazar and Chris Wagner generated over a minute of zone time and had some opportunities to tie it, but the Sabres were able to escape with the lead.
The Bruins picked up where they left off, though, when Jeremy Lauzon ripped a shot from the point that Krejci was able to bury to make it 1-1.
The Sabres had a 5-on-3 for 29 seconds with 1:37 left in the opening period after Jake DeBrusk was whistled for a hook and Lazar went off for a high-stick. Boston killed it off and finished the first tied at one.
The Bruins outshot the Sabres 11-5.
SPICY SECOND
Things got a little spicy between the two teams in the middle period.
First, Nick Ritchie dropped the gloves with Matt Irwin in a fight that very much went in Ritchie’s favor.
That seemed to add a little momentum to the Bruins as Smith sniped the puck by Dustin Tokarski to make it a 2-1 game — and give Hall his first point with his new team.
Tage Thompson then said hello to Kevan Miller in a bout of their own. It unsurprisingly didn’t last long considering the size of Miller. The 6-foot-2 defenseman made easy work of Thompson before officials stepped in.
Jeremy Swayman made some huge stops to keep it a one-goal game after two.
The Bruins continued to outshoot the Sabres, 24-12.
SABRES TIE, FORCE OVERTIME
The Sabres tied it with 8:07 left in the game when Dahlin blasted one from the point to make it 2-2.
The Sabres controlled much of the third period, and it went to overtime after 60 minutes.
OVERTIME NOT ENOUGH
Swayman made a crucial save in the final minute after a nice tape-to-tape sequence by Buffalo, which helped push the game to a shootout.
Anders Bjork and Hall had chances to end it for their new teams, but neither could finish.
BRUINS WIN IT
Victor Olofsson was denied by Swayman, but Coyle was able to score in Round 1.
Thompson also was stopped by the Bruins netminder before DeBrusk ended it to give the Bruins the win.
UP NEXT
The Bruins remain at home Thursday when they welcome the New York Islanders to TD Garden. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.
