Need to Know: Bruins at Sabres | Game 2

BUFFALO –– The Boston Bruins are ready to turn the page to Game 2.

After dropping the first matchup of the series 4-3 to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday, the B’s will look to tie things up on Tuesday; Game 2 is set for 7:30 p.m. at KeyBank Center.

“It is a new game today. Just gotta forget about it and learn from it,” Viktor Arvidsson said. “New game today, and we’ve got to be ready for that and be excited for the challenge.”

​Head coach Marco Sturm called upon Arvidsson and his second line with Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt to bounce back. They were the Bruins’ best 5-on-5 line during the regular season, leading the team with 42 goals scored and a 65.63 goals-for percentage through 59 games together. They are looking to refind that production.

“I think we weren’t as aggressive on the forecheck. I think that’s something we’ve talked about as a line, that we have to go be more aggressive, win our puck battles there. I think we tried to defend a little bit too much,” Zacha said. “There are always ups and downs, so it’s nice to have that comfortability to talk to your teammates. Especially your linemates – we watched the video together, kind of talked what can we do better. That’s how we figure out the approach for us as a line for the next game. I think that’s important to be on the same page. Experience the first game and go from there.”

Sturm was pleased with the performance of his “kid line” with Fraser Minten, Marat Khusnutdinov and James Hagens; he said the trio had strong defensive details. Sunday was just the third NHL game Hagens has played. The 19-year-old forward has been leaning on his teammates through the transition, especially fellow rookie Minten.​

“For me, always the centerman leads,” Sturm said. “[Minten] has done a tremendous job all year long. He’s a confident kid on and off the ice, and that’s what he actually translated to the playoffs, too. He’s helping a guy like Khus out and James…They gave us some really good minutes.”

Minten, who had 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists) through 82 games in his first year with the Bruins, is also playing in his first NHL postseason.

“I can relate to a lot of the stuff [James] is going through – on ice and off the ice as well. It’s a huge difference, lifestyle, everything. Just try to support him as much as I can,” Minten said. “You’re in the moment, try to focus on what’s in front of you. There’s nothing to gain from looking back at results. Just all in on the process again tonight.”

Wait, There’s More

• Jeremy Swayman will start in net for Boston. The goaltender made 34 saves on Sunday and was one of the B’s best players on the ice. Swayman had a 2.71 goals against average and a .908 save percentage through 55 games in the regular season.

• The first line of Morgan Geekie, Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak had a cumulative seven points in Game 1; Geekie and Pastrnak each had three points (one goal, two assists). That combination will remain together on Tuesday. They are also on the first power-play unit, which went 1-for-3. Pastrnak's late third-period tally came on the man advantage.

• Nikita Zadorov was a first-round pick for Buffalo in the 2013 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-7, 255-pound defenseman had an assist on Sunday while skating on the third pair with Andrew Peeke. Zadorov led the Bruins with six hits through 20:42 of ice time. Mark Kastelic was right behind Zadorov with five total hits.  

Opposing View

• Tage Thompson had two goals and an assist in Game 1. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward is centering the first line between Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch, who had an empty-net tally. Thompson is also on the first power-play unit, which went 0-for-4 on Sunday. Hampus Lindholm on containing Thompson: “I think it was more on us than them doing anything crazy. We got away a little bit from what we talked about and how we wanted to play…We showed also that we can be successful if they play the right way.”

• Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start in net for the Sabres. The 27-year-old goaltender made 17 saves on 20 shots in his playoff debut on Sunday. Luukkonen had a 2.52 GAA and .910 SV% through 35 games in the regular season, during which he posted 22 wins.

• Rasmus Dahlin led Buffalo with 24:05 of ice time in Game 1; he logged two shots, one block and two hits. The defenseman is on the first pair with Mattias Samuelsson, who scored the Sabres’ third goal on Sunday. Dahlin is also on the first power-play unit, while Samuelsson is on the penalty kill, which went 2-for-3 against the Bruins.