Bruins 3, Sabres 1

Boston 3 – Buffalo 1
Sunday, February 10, 2013
First Niagara Center

GAME RECAP
With their leading scorer held off the scoresheet, the Sabres lack of secondary scoring cost them a win. The Sabres came into the game ranked third in the Eastern Conference with 37 goals, 12 of those goals came from leading scorer Thomas Vanek. With Vanek unable to score, the Sabres struggled in their 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins.

Boston’s Brad Marchand got the scoring started in the second period. Nathan Horton provided the traffic in front and that’s all that Marchand needed to find the back of the net. Then, with just under two minutes left in the second period, Drew Stafford found Tyler Ennis all alone in front of the Boston net to tie the score at one. The goal was Ennis’ fifth on the season and gives him five (3+2) points in his last four games.

It was all Bruins from then on as Patrice Bergeron’s third-period goal was the game winner, and Milan Lucic added an empty netter late in the third. Before the loss the Sabres were 4-0-1 in their last five home contests against the Bruins. The loss brings the Sabres record to 5-7-1. Their 11 points put them in last in the Northeast Division.

BEHIND THE NUMBERS
The Sabres are now 1-3-0 in the second game of back-to-back sets… Thomas Vanek had 54 points (28+26) in 46 games against the Boston Bruins in his career coming into the game including a five-point (3+2) night the last time the two teams met. He was only able to muster one shot against the Bruins in this game…Tyler Ennis now has five points (3+2) in his last four games…The Sabres outhit the Bruins 25-15…The Sabres have faced the Bruins more than any other team in franchise history with 264 games between the two teams.

NOTABLE
Tyler Myers was a healthy scratch for the Sabres for the second straight night… Mikhail Grigorenko and TJ Brennan were also healthy scratches… Robyn Regehr was back in the lineup after missing six games with a lower-body injury… Ville Leino (hip, 13 games) remains on IR.

BUFFALO’S REAL-TIME STATS LEADERS
Time on Ice: Christian Ehrhoff, 24:16
Shots: Six players tied, 3
Blocked Shots: Ehrhoff/Kaleta, 4
Hits: Steve Ott, 6
Faceoff Wins: Cody Hodgson, 9
Total Faceoffs: Hodgson, 17 (9-8)

BUFFALO’S RECORD WHEN...
* Opponent Scoring First: 1-3-1
* Tied after the first period: 3-3-1
* Tied after the second period: 3-2-0
* Outshot by an opponent: 3-6-0

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Sabres are now 14.6% (7/48) on the power play through 13 games after failing to score on three power play attempts. Buffalo was able to kill four of the five Bruins power play chances bringing their percentage for the season to 79.2% (42/53).

UP NEXT
* Tuesday @ Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
* Friday vs. Boston, 7 p.m.
* Sunday vs. Pittsburgh 12:30 p.m.