Sabres fall to Bruins, extend record skid to 17

BOSTON -- The Buffalo Sabres allowed two third-period goals and lost a 17th straight game, 3-2 to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday.

The Sabres are 0-15-2 since Feb. 23 and extended their NHL shootout-era record for the longest stretch without a victory. The shootout was implemented in the 2005-06 season, eliminating ties.
Linus Ullmark made 33 saves in his return after missing 15 games because of a lower-body injury for Buffalo (6-23-4).
"We obviously played a good game, a good hockey game," Sabres forward Kyle Okposo said. "A couple bounces end up in the back of our net and I just didn't think we had enough looks in the third period there to really try and put them away and end the game. We've just got to find a way to keep pushing for offense.
"But it was a lot better without the puck, and I thought we did a good job to kind of limit their time and space and we did a lot of good things tonight, we just weren't able to get the W."
Boston (17-8-5) extended its point streak to four games (3-0-1).
The Bruins trailed 2-1 heading into the third period before Nick Ritchie tied it 2-2 at 5:22 and Craig Smith scored at 16:10 for a 3-2 lead.
Ritchie scored on a tap-in after Charlie McAvoy circled the net and passed to the front. The puck deflected off Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to Ritchie.
"I was just trying to use kind of my momentum to just get skating. I know they're a man-on-man team, so I was trying to get a step," McAvoy said. "I was actually looking for [Smith] through a seam there, and then we were fortunate enough to get a bounce. But when guys are going to the net all game and working hard to get to those dirty areas, it's nice to see them get rewarded."

Smith also scored from near the front of the net.
"Some of the focus was put on getting to the front of the net and being a little bit more hungry," he said. "And you see [Ritchie] banging one in there in the third and guys just creating a little havoc in front. It was just a lucky puck bouncing out."
Sam Reinhart gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead by stealing goalie Dan Vladar's pass and shooting it into the open net during a power play at 2:01 of the first period.
Vladar made 25 saves in his second NHL start.
"He responded well [after allowing the first goal]," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "You don't know with a young guy if it'll sort of get in his head or [he'll] park it. I thought he did a good job parking it, made some good saves for us. I don't think he had to make a ton of stops in there, but he made the ones you're supposed to."
Matt Grzelcyk's goal from the blue line during a delayed penalty against Buffalo made it 1-1 at 11:41 of the second period.

Okposo, who returned after missing three game because of an upper-body injury, put the Sabres ahead 2-1 at 14:12 on a rebound of a Henri Jokiharju shot.
"It doesn't really matter how you lose the game," Ullmark said. "You know it's unfortunate that we got some unlucky bounces and some calls against us there at the end when we're pushing for that third goal. There's nothing to say about that now, you've got to go home, recharge and then come back stronger for the next one."
NOTES: Bruins forward Brad Marchand missed the game because he entered the NHL COVID-19 protocol Saturday morning. He leads the Bruins with 34 points (12 goals, 22 assists). … Sabres coach Don Granato and assistant Matt Ellis returned from COVID-19 protocol. General manager Kevyn Adams coached the Sabres in a 4-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. … Bruins forward Zach Senyshyn returned after missing five games with an upper-body injury. He had one shot on goal in 11:50 of ice time. … Bruins defenseman Jeremy Lauzon returned after missing 12 games because of a fractured hand. He blocked three shots and had one shot on goal in 18:32. … Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson left the game with 3:30 remaining in the third period after a collision with Boston's David Pastrnak. ... Boston defenseman John Moore will be out for the season after having hip surgery March 22. The expected recovery time is 5-6 months. … Buffalo forward Steven Fogarty scored his first NHL point in his 21st game with an assist on Okposo's goal.