In Boston, the Bruins posted two goals in the middle frame on Thursday to take a 2-0 lead over the Buffalo Sabres. 
For good measure, the Bruins added five more in the third, and routed Buffalo, 7-1.
David Pastrnak and newcomer Dmitry Orlov picked up a goal apiece and three points in the win.
Earlier n the day, Pastrnak signed an eight-year, $90 million contract with Boston.
“For me personally, it doesn’t mean that much,” Bruins coach and Montreal native Jim Montgomery said. “We try to stay in the moment, and we’ve been doing that. We started off 11-1, and I was like, ‘Man, that’s unreal,’ and then you catch yourself and you go back into the moment, and we’ve probably gone 11-1 every 12 games to have the record we have. It’s been really amazing to watch them want to be great, because with the schedule and everything, it’s really impressive.”
It was the Bruins’ ninth straight win.
Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves in the Boston win.
“Every game matters. We need the points,” Swayman said. “It’s special to see these guys respond the way we did after a long flight, a long road trip, and keep that winning momentum going. I got the best seat in the house. It’s pretty special watching these guys do what they do.”
The Bruins moved to 48-8-5.
Casey Mittelstadt was the lone striker for the Sabres, his third period goal was lost in the Bruins barrage.
“The game didn’t get away from us in the first period; it got away from us in the second a bit,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “We still had opportunities, and I thought tonight we didn’t play with our pace that we need.”
The Sabres dropped to 31-25-4.
Orlov scored off the power play in the second period for a 1-0 lead to the Bruins.
“It is what it is,” Sabres captain Kyle Okposo said. “We’ve got to try and kill a penalty. It was a pretty even game. I mean, they capitalize on their opportunities and we didn’t. They’re obviously a really sound team structurally. They’re very disciplined, and we just cracked first.”
Jakub Lauko, who had a pair of goals for Boston, pushed the lead to 2-0 headed to the third period.
“It’s special to be here,” Orlov said. “We’re playing good hockey right now, especially today. Maybe [Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime win against Calgary] wasn’t great, but we still found a way to win, and it’s important. It’s what good teams do.”
Brad Marchand left the match in the second period with an apparent lower body injury.
“We think it’s going to be all right, but we’re not positive yet,” Montgomery said.
Pavel Zacha and Pastrnak scored in the third to push advantage out to 4-0, before Mittelstadt scored to make it 4-1.
“We’ve got some skill,” said Buffalo defenseman Riley Stillman, who made his Sabres debut after being traded from the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. “We have some serious skill. We can make plays, and we’re going to be a good hockey club. Obviously, tonight’s a bit of an anomaly. We got to park it and move on, and get ready to go here in a couple days.”
The Bruins then scored twice on a Buffalo power play with Patrice Bergeron adding an empty- goal, and Connor Clifton picking up the second shortie.
Lauko potted his second second goal for the 7-1 final.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 35 saves in the Sabres loss.
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