The Buffalo Sabres were able to leave not much to doubt in Game 4 of their first round match in Boston on Sunday, taking advantage of a flat Bruins squad in a critical game for them to get back into the series. The Sabres took the legs out from under the Beantowners with four first-period tallies in a 6-1 thrashing at TD Garden to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and potentially close out the series with a win on home ice on Tuesday night.
Peyton Krebs, Josh Doan, Zach Benson, and Bowen Byram scored in an opening stanza that saw the Sabres outshoot the home squad 19-5. Boston only managed 24 shots on Alex Lyon, who posted his second straight victory. The quick start was a departure for the young Buffalo squad, who in the first three games seemed to play their best hockey in the third period when trailing or tied, which may be a sign of them gaining confidence and getting past some initial playoff nerves.
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“I know sometimes (just playing the game) that’s hard to do, and you only get experience by playing, whether it’s one shift, one period, one game, one home game, one road game.” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said. “There’s all kinds of different experience you can get, but the only way you can get it is to live it. If you feel a little anxiety about it, just go to the guys that have been there.”
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Conversely, the Bruins appear to be losing their composure after losing a pair on home ice. Goalie Jeremy Swayman said something to his teammates after being pulled in the third period in favor of backup Joonas Korpisalo after allowing six goals on 29 shots, while defenseman Nikita Zadorov was assessed a five-minor major and game misconduct for cross-checking Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin late in the game, and was fined $5,000 by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. After the game, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy called out his club after the game for their subpar effort.
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“You can’t sit with (this game), because if you carry it into next game, it’s not going to do you any good,” McAvoy said. “Man to man in here, if we’re not (bleep)ing embarrassed with what just happened, then I don’t know what to say.”
Ruff provided an update on forwards Jason Zucker and Tyson Kozak, who missed a significant chunk of the third period, indicating that both probable for Game 5 on Tuesday, but that they are still being evaluated. Center Josh Norris, who missed Games 3 and 4 in Boston, will participate in the morning skate on Tuesday and could be available.
The Rochester Americans forced a deciding Game 3 of their first round series againstt the Toronto Marlies with a shutout win on Friday, but were eliminated by the Marlies 4-2 at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Sunday. Konsta Helenius and Olivier Nadeau cut into an early Toronto lead to narrow the gap to 3-2, but the Amerks could not tie the game in the third period. With Rochester eliminated, several Amerks will likely be recalled to serve as “black aces”/reserves for the Sabres for the length of their participation in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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