In Boston, the Buffalo Sabres’ Alex Tuch hit for a pair of goals and four points on Saturday in a 4-3 win over the Bruins.
Tuch’s second of the day came with 67 seconds left in extra time to give the Sabres the win.
“Four points, he was incredible,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “Obviously, it was his night to rise, dictate, influence, take over. He’s had a solid NHL career so far, but the potential that he has, it’s enormous. He hasn’t even scratched the surface, and a night like tonight is what we’ve been talking about.”
Dylan Cozens, who had a goal in the win, was the primary assist on the winner.
“We knew going into the third that they obviously hadn’t lost in regulation (at home), and we wanted to be that first team to do that,” Cozens said. “Obviously, they battle back, and then we take the two penalties to make it 5-on-3. The kill just did a great job, and ‘UPL’ did an outstanding job with some huge saves. We just found a way, and that shows the kind of team we are this year. We don’t want to back down from anyone, and we know when adversity (happens) we can overcome it and win hockey games.”
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 37 saves in the Buffalo lo win.
The Sabres improved to 18-14-2.
“I kind of whiffed on that one a bit, and I think it threw him off,” Cozens said. “I don’t really remember exactly where it went. I think he was expecting far side and it ended up going short side and just found a way in. That’s a lucky one for me there, but it was a great play by Tuch to beat the icing and drop it to me, and a great play by Dahlin, too.”
Cozens tied the game, 3-3, with 1:37 left in the third to force the extra session.
“Disappointing finish,” Boston’s Brad Marchand said. “We had that game, we had our hands all around it and kind of squandered it. That’s on us. We should have been much better in that situation, but we’re not going to dwell on it. We got a point and we’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us. We’re going to have a lot of fun (in the Winter Classic). It’s an exciting time.”
Boston dropped to 28-4-4.
Boston’s David Pastrnak and the Sabres’ Tage Thompson traded goals in the first period to send the match to the middle frame tied 1-1.
Tuch scored in the second to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead.
In the third, Patrice Bergeron tied it for Boston, 2-2, and Marchand hit for a goal to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead.
“I think we’ll put this away pretty quick and start focusing on the great event that’s coming,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said. “The Winter Classic is like the Super Bowl of hockey in the regular season. It’s a great time. It’s a great event. It’s a special event, and it’s going to be at Fenway. So I think our minds are going to go there pretty quick and get excited about the Winter Classic.”
With the loser’s point, Boston extended their home point streak to 21 games.
Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves in the loss.
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