Bruins Notes: Playing Creative, To Their Identity Lifts Boston Against Sabres

Jim Montgomery has a phrase that he uses often when describing the play of the Boston Bruins — starting on time.

The Bruins did just that when they bounced back from a hard-fought 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday with a victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night at KeyBank Center.

“I thought the way we started the game, we started on time,” Montgomery said after the win. “I liked how physical we were and how we were able to get to our identity of being a puck possession team.”

Danton Heinen, Oskar Steen, Brandon Carlo and Hampus Lindholm all potted their first goals of the season, while David Pastrnak recorded his team-leading 11th goal and added two assists.

“He allows you to have a lot of success as a team because he’s a difference maker,” Montgomery said of Pastrnak. “He makes people around him better. As good as a goal scorer he is, he’s as equal a passer. The way he competes as a leader on our team and our most skilled player … it shows everybody that you have to work to have success.”

Pastrnak was happy with the team’s response following the loss north of the border last week.

“It was great. Great first period,” Pastrnak said. “It’s always nice to get the lead early, especially on the road. I think the first period kind of set the game up. Wasn’t a great game for us overall, there were mistakes but more importantly we got the goals and got the saves and got the dub.”

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Here are more notes on Tuesday’s Bruins-Sabres game:

— Rasmus Dahlin had a hard hit on Brad Marchand in the first period and the Bruins responded with Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy getting into the fray after the whistle to stick up for their teammate.

“It’s our captain,” Pastrnak said. “We all know (Marchand) would do the same thing. It’s definitely important to have each other’s back. We’re building something here so it was very important.”

— It was the first game the Bruins faced their former teammate Connor Clifton who signed a three-year deal with the Sabres in the offseason.

“It was definitely strange,” Pastrnak said. “He is an unbelievable guy. We all miss him. … It was nice to see him, a very funny guy. he played well for us last year. Good for him. Happy for him and we miss him.”

— Sabres goaltender Devon Levi made 13 saves on 18 shots before he was replaced by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the second period. Luukkonen stopped all 14 Bruins shots he faced in relief.

— The Bruins return to action on Saturday night when they host the Montreal Canadiens in their lone trip to Boston. Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and you can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.