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Wild and wooly: Sabres hand Bruins first regulation defeat

 01.31.13 at 9:32 pm ET
By Mike Petraglia

Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) sets to backhand a shot for a goal as Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jordan Leopold (3) defends. (AP)

Thomas Vanek scored a hat trick and Ryan Miller stopped 38 of 42 shots on the night as the Sabres handed the Bruins their first regulation loss of the season, 7-4, Thursday night at TD Garden. The Bruins were denied matching their best seven-game start in franchise history and fell to 5-1-1 on the season. Vanek now has 54 points in 46 career games against Boston.

The only significant action of the first period was a fight 2:53 into the game that had John Scott taking down Shawn Thornton in stunningly fast fashion with several rights to the face and head of the Bruins enforcer. Both men served their fighting majors and then Thornton headed immediately down the Boston tunnel to the dressing room and did not return. The Bruins did not reveal the nature of the injury before announcing early in the second period that he would not return.

After a scoreless first period, the two teams combined for six goals in the second, with the division rivals splitting the difference for a 3-3 score after 40 minutes. The Sabres took the first lead of the game when Vanek one-timed a shot past Tuukka Rask 1:38 into the second.

The Bruins then answered with a dominating 10-minute stretch. Rich Peverley scored his first on a Daniel Paille rebound from the edge of the right circle at 5:12 to tie the game. Brad Marchand then scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season just 3:11 apart, putting Boston up, 3-1 and capping a three-goal flurry in five minutes, 42 seconds.

But the game turned on two Bruins penalties called simultaneously as Milan Lucic was whistled for boarding and Zdeno Chara was called for holding, giving Buffalo a 5-on-3 power play for a full two minutes. The Bruins controlled the kill early but Vanek scored his second of the night and fifth of the season 60 seconds into the power play, making it 3-2. The Bruins killed off the final 60 seconds with Lucic still in the box. But the Sabres used the power play for valuable momentum, earning the equalizer when Tyler Ennis was left all alone on the right post in front of Rask. Vanek fed a perfect pass across the slot and Ennis didn’t miss.

The Bruins gained the lead again in the third when David Krejci beat Ryan Miller down low to the far post just 1:45 into the period. But the Sabres came back and took the lead on goals by Alexander Sulzer and Cody Hodgson.

The Bruins had a golden opportunity to tie the game by Miller made a big save on a slap shot from Chara with eight minutes left. Moments later, Tyler Myers took a four-minute high-sticking penalty when he clipped Paille. But that was weakened when Dennis Seidenberg was called for tripping just 30 seconds into the man-advantage.

Vanek added insurance with his third goal of the night with 1:31 left for his eighth career hat trick and Jason Pominville added an empty-netter with 13.6 seconds left to cap off the scoring. The Bruins are off Friday before playing in Toronto Saturday night. For more from DJ Bean and Mike Petraglia at the Garden, visit the Bruins team page at weei.com/bruins.

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  • Bruinman86

    Glad I forgot the game was on. One advantage to having kids.

  • Gray

    Poor defense / Decision making on the defensive side (turn overs in front of the net etc)  no clutch play – Rask played like he did in 2010 tonight average at best and very beatable I want to see how he rebounds from a 6 goal allowed game (I dont count the empty netter against his goals allowed ofcourse)

  • Sicko

     Lol, lucky you this thing was a mess. The Bruins kept getting the lead and giving it right back. Poor defensive coverage all night. Rask looked lost at times but not completely his fault with tips and breakins all night. First time I have ever seen Thornton get tied up in a fight. Could not get loose and took a few good shots. Must have gotten a concussion as he didn’t come back. Oh well, they weren’t going to get points in every game.

  • Sicko

     What was with the Buffalo time out with 14 seconds left? I don’t think I have ever seen a team, up by 3, calling time out with seconds left.

  • Bruinman86

     That’s for sure.  Although I would have been a little more accepting if this had happened in Buffalo, not Boston.

  • Gray

     I was a little ‘irritated’ by that move.. Maybe they were just in shock and were checking to make sure they were the ones up 7-4 -shrug-

  • Sicko

     The worst part of the whole thing is they had the lead early in the third and gave it right back and more. If they had gotten blown out and beaten from the start it would be an easier game to just blow off.

  • Bruinman86

    Hopefully they will do like all good teams and go on another tear. Especially the next time these two teams face one another.

  • Titletown1

    Rask is not ready to be a number one goalie. Thank God this is only a 48 game season for him to get his feet wet as a number one. Six goals against that Buffalo team? Really Rask?  C’mon.

  • Fab4ever

    …yes…but this was a HUGE message sent by the Sabres…after all that went down last year, they beefed up and brought it to the Bruins…that takedown of Thornton was indeed stunning….but he’s a tough kid an I’m sure he’ll be looking for a rematch at some point. Just proves once again, it’s a 60 minute game and the B’s were not involved in a good portion of it….we know they are capable of better…

  • Geetsolboy

    Well. they weren’t going to go undefeated in regulation, but they were a mess defensively for most of the night. I thought Chara had a terrible game. Just waiting for Seguin to find his scoring touch too. 

  • Geetsolboy

    Well. they weren’t going to go undefeated in regulation, but they were a mess defensively for most of the night. I thought Chara had a terrible game. Just waiting for Seguin to find his scoring touch too. 

  • bench warmer

    Jack Edwards sucks, it’s live streaming for me.

  • unbelievable

    m’eh…one game, who cares…no sense analyzing one poor performance. 

  • Uncle Buck

    For some reason the Bruins seemed to stop skating in the 3rd period.  Not sure if they thought they could just dial it up or not, but they lost their edge.  I heard the first period on the radio driving home, so I didn’t see the Thorton fiasco.  He did get handled.  Would like to see what Chara has for the Scott kid.  6’8″ and 250lbs is a little much for Thornton, obviously. Thomas Vanek has had the Bruins’ number for awhile.  We see them two times this month I think.  

  • Wildworld76

    don’t poke the buffalo

  • Wildworld76

    don’t poke the buffalo

  • Wildworld76

    don’t poke the buffalo.

  • Wildworld76

    how’s thorton this am? Go Pat this weekend, yeah. 

  • Sicko

     Same place the Bills are douch e. At least get a clue if you’re going to troll you moron.

  • Sicko

     Don’t poke the Buffalo from last place you mean?!?

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