Rask, Bruins Shut Out Sabres 4-0
BOSTON -- David Krejci and Riley Nash scored their first goals of the season, Tuukka Rask pitched his 32nd career shutout and the power play woke up to help the Boston Bruins to a 4-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
Playing two nights after allowing two shorthanded goals to the New York Rangers, and coming in with the same number of power-play goals for and shorthanded goals against - three - Brad Marchand, Krejci and David Pastrnak struck for power-play goals.
Krejci followed Marchand's fifth goal of the season when he struck with the Bruins having a two-man advantage. Nash scored his first goal as a Bruin later in the period, getting a sharp-angle shot past Robin Lehner at even strength. Pastrnak, who also had an assist, scored his eighth goal of the season 9:45 into the third.
The Bruins, who came in 3-for-38 on the power play, went 3-for-8 with the man advantage.
Rask, who was shaky in the 5-2 loss to the Rangers, was sharp en route to making 32 saves - including 14 in the third period. The Bruins improved to 9-1-2 in their last 12 games against the Sabres - including 5-1-2 in the last eight home contests. It was Rask's second shutout of the season as he raised his record to 7-1-0.
In addition to the first goals of the year for the two players, Matt Beleskey had an assist on the first goal, his first point of the season.
The win was only the second in five home games for the Bruins (7-5-0) this season. Boston missed the playoffs for a second straight campaign in April primarily because of a 17-18-6 home record.
The loss was only the second in regulation for the Sabres (5-5-2) on the road, where they fell to 4-2-2.
Lehner made 38 saves and fell to 3-7-3 lifetime against the Bruins.
NOTES: Sabres coach Dan Bylsma, asked at the morning skate to name his goaltender for the game, said: "The starting quarterback today is ... Robin Lehner is starting in net tonight." ... This game was a matchup of teams off to slow home starts. Boston is 5-2-0 on the road while Buffalo is 4-1-2. ... Tyler Ennis and Dmitry Kulikov missed the Sabres' skate at the Bruins' new practice facility Monday, but both were in the lineup. Buffalo is mainstays Jack Eichel, Evander Kane and Zach Bogosian with injuries. ... The Bruins play their third game in four nights at Montreal on Tuesday with rookie G Zane McIntyre having a chance for his second NHL start, while the Sabres host the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night -- four nights after beating the Senators 2-1 in Ottawa. The Canadiens beat the Bruins 4-2 in Boston Oct. 22.