BOSTON — The Bruins suffered their first overtime loss after the Buffalo Sabres defeated them, 4-3, at TD Garden on Saturday.
Boston kept its point streak at home alive in the defeat, but it was one the Black and Gold had on hand after coming back from a 2-1 deficit.
“I got to take a lot of responsibility there because we had a 5-on-3, my gut said, ‘Call timeout.’ And I thought we were disorganized, weren’t on the same page,” head coach Jim Montgomery told NESN’s Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley on the network’s postgame show. “I should’ve called the timeout so that we had a lot of time to go over the 5-on-3 and everybody knew exactly how to execute. I didn’t really feel like we had one good chance, and that’s not enough when you have 1:50 or whatever it was.”
Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand scored the two third-period goals to put the B’s up, 3-2, and boost the Bruins’ goal differential in the final period to plus-30. However, the Sabres didn’t give up, and Dylan Cozens scored the game-tying goal at the 18:23 mark.
“On the tying goal, we’d live to defend the blue line a little bit better there,” Montgomery said. “Buffalo makes a good play, great pass out of the corner and the guy makes a good shot.”
Alex Tuch gave Boston fits the whole afternoon, and he scored the game-winner in overtime to end his tally at four points — a career-high — against the Bruins on Saturday. However, the Bruins are not going to let the loss ruin what is expected to be a festive day at the Winter Classic on Monday.
“We had our hands all around it, kind of squandered a couple of (power plays) late,” Marchand said. “That’s kind of on us. We should have been much better in that situation. We’re not gonna dwell on it. We got a point, and we got a great opportunity ahead of us. We’re gonna have a lot of fun. It’s an exciting time for us, a ton of family here. We’re all looking forward to getting out there tomorrow, skating and getting it out of the way. Disappointed tonight but lots to look forward to.”
Marchand added: “There’s always something to learn from every game, win or loss. Obviously, we got to realize that any team can win any game. When we’re up like that we just have to have that killer instinct, and we didn’t tonight. Definitely something that we have to be better at down the road, play off time; You have to have that killer instinct. Teams are too good now, too much motivation around each room and if you let them stick in a game, they’ll bite you.”
Here are some more notes from Saturday’s Bruins-Sabres:
— The point helped Boston tie a franchise record for the longest season-opening point streak with the 1973-74 Bruins, according to NHL Public Relations. The 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers have the record with a 19-0-7 record.
— Linus Ullmark did not get the start against his former team, which meant he did not to pass Tuukka Rask for most wins by a Bruins goalie in a calendar year.
— Bergeron’s power-play goal meant the captain has now scored in five of his last six games. His assist at 1,012 in his career, tying Phil Esposito for third on points in Bruins history.
— David Pastrnak potted his 25th goal of the 2022-23 NHL season, and it also was his 57th regular-season goal in the calendar year. It tied him with Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid for most among all players, according to NHL Public Relations.
— Brandon Carlo left the game after taking a high stick from Sabres’ J.J. Peterka. He did not return to the game.
— The Bruins will play the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Winter Classic at Fenway Park. Puck drop is scheduled at 2 p.m. ET on TNT.
