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Preview: Bruins take on the struggling Sabres in matinee face-off

Bruins host the Sabres in second meeting this season.

By Angelina.Berube
Boston Bruins v Buffalo Sabres Photo by Kevin Hoffman/Getty Images

Just the facts

When: Today, 1 PM

Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA

How to follow: NESN, SN1, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: Die By The Blade

Know your enemy

  • 6-22-4 for 16 points, last in East
  • Victor Olofsson: 32GP, 9G, 12A, 21PTS; Sam Reinhart: 30GP, 11G, 9A, 20PTS; Taylor Hall: 32GP, 2G, 15A, 17PTS
  • Dustin Tokarski: 0-3-0, 4.11 GAA, .890 save percentage

Game notes

  • The Boston Bruins will face the Buffalo Sabres for the second time this season this afternoon at the TD Garden. In their last game on March 18 in Buffalo, a three-point night from David Krejci helped the Bruins defeat the Sabres, 4-1. Greg McKegg netted his first goal of the season to open the scoring in the first period. The Bruins allowed a shorthander to tie the game, but two power play goals, from Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak, and an additional 5v5 goal by Craig Smith gave the Bruins the win. The game was initially up in the air, as Sean Kuraly and a Sabres team staffer went into COVID protocols, but alas it was played with the result the Bruins needed.
  • It seems like a miracle this season whenever a game against the Sabres actually happens. First, two February games were postponed. Then the Bruins postponed the March 20 game due to five players being placed on the protocols list. For the Sabres, the team played without interim coaches Don Granato and Matt Ellis yesterday because both were self-quarantining due to the NHL protocols (both are back today). But here we are! Game two of eight!
  • On Thursday, a few Bs registered points for the first time in a long time. Charlie Coyle picked up his first point in eight games, and Anders Bjork’s goal was his first point in 12 games. Charlie McAvoy also broke his seven-game pointless streak with two assists, and Chris Wagner ended an 11-game drought.
  • The Sabres have picked up a lonely one point in the whole month of March, dropping 0-12-1 in their last 13 games. In those games, they’ve been shut out three times. The Sabres extended their losing streak to 16 consecutive losses on Thursday, after the Penguins blanked them 4-0. And don’t get started on the goalie issues they are having. Rough.
  • Karson Kuhlman won’t play today, as he took a puck to the hand Thursday night. He went for an MRI yesterday, per Bruce Cassidy. Zach Senyshyn should be ready for the game and as long as nothing’s bothering him, he’ll take Kuhlman’s spot, Cassidy said. Tuukka Rask won’t play this weekend. Cassidy doesn’t think there is anything major going on with Rask, but he’ll receive treatment for an upper-body injury.

See ya this afternoon!