In Boston Saturday, the Bruins could be excused for looking past the Buffalo Sabres.
Excused or not, they should have paid attention because the Sabres handed the Bruins a 4-2 loss.
It was only Boston’s second loss in 24 games in regulation; they dropped to 18-2-4 over that stretch of games.
“I just thought we were cute tonight,” Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “And it was leading up to something and we have creative guys, but at some point you’ve got to get it there. It’s got to get to the net with traffic. We just didn’t do enough to earn our goals.”
In an audition effort ahead of the NHL trade season, the Sabres got goals from Scott Wilson, Evander Kane, Benoit Pouliot, and Rasmus Ristolainen.
“I thought the guys made a terrific effort tonight, one of the best games I’ve seen us check with good sticks and coming back into our own zone,” Sabres head coach Phil Housley said. “As a result, we got a lot of chances, a lot of looks, a lot of 2-on-1s and we cashed in on some. I thought everybody stepped their game up when Jack went down.”
Terrific effort borne of knowing if you look you will most likely end up with a team over.500.
Ryan Spooner and David Backes had the Boston goals.
“Things have gone well for us, so maybe our guys thought, ‘Well, we’ll tic-tac-toe around tonight.’ It’s just we needed a little more meat and potatoes.” Cassidy said after the game.
Chad Johnson made 25 saves to pick up the win for Buffalo.
“I don’t know. I think the team, tonight we played a real solid game. I’ve felt good about my game all season; I just haven’t gotten the results,” Johnson said. “I’ve been a part of some tough games and some tough teams that sort of exposed us a little more than we’d like to. I think it was just a good team effort tonight. I felt good, and I think a lot of guys stepped up and played really well in front of me.”
[WATCH:Â All Sabres vs. Bruins highlights]
Tuukka Rask took the loss, his first regulation loss in 21 games; he made 24 saves in the loss.
“I think it was pretty obvious that that wasn’t our best game, not the way we want to play,” Rask said. “But those games happen.”
Buffalo’s Jack Eichel left the game late in the fist period with a lower body injury.
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