BUFFALO, NY – The Boston Bruins were right where they wanted to be until they weren’t.
The Bruins (0-1) watched their lead evaporate as they allowed four goals in 6:46 and lost 4-3 to the Buffalo Sabres (1-0) on Sunday night at KeyBank Center. Morgan Geekie (1), Elias Lindholm (1), and David Pastrnak (1) scored for the Bruins, and Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves, but the Bruins now trail the first-round series.
“I thought we were in the perfect spot. We were exactly where we wanted to play. Being in that position, five, six minutes left in a game, I mean, you could tell [Buffalo] got a little bit frustrated,” Marco Sturm said to the media in Buffalo. “And yeah, we made, pretty much, two mistakes to let them tie up the game. Then, obviously, with the crowd behind, all of a sudden, they got some life. And all of a sudden, the game is done.”
Though the Bruins were up 2-0, they were fighting not only the Sabres but the crowd.
They have spoken at length about how the fans give them a boost while they are at home. Sunday was a prime example of the Bruins being on the other end of that, though Morgan Geekie said it did not affect them.
Swayman was serenaded with chants of his name all game, to the point where the in-arena DJ stopped playing music so he did not interfere with the chants. After the game, Swayman said the Bruins expected the atmosphere to be intense.
Sabres fans serenading Jeremy Swayman pic.twitter.com/d6G3aWTFtU
He stopped the first 32 shots he faced, and after 40, the Bruins were outshot 27-13, but two mistakes let the Sabres tie the game.
“I think we just have to play full 60,” Swayman said postgame. “And [the Sabres] capitalize on their opportunities. It’s important, and kudos to them, but again, it’s just, every shift is so important and critical in a series and in a game like today.”
The Sabres scored three times in 4:34. They added an empty-net goal just two minutes later.
“We had it, we had a good lead, we got the second goal early in the third, and didn’t get the job done,” said David Pastrnak. “We were right there, but didn’t get it done. So, you know, going to flip the page and focus on the next one.”
It’s uncommon for the Bruins to cough up a third-period lead, but they did so not too long ago. They were 33-2-4 when leading after two periods in the regular season; they are 0-1-0 in the playoffs.
The Sabres also won the physical battle on Sunday, landing 53 hits to the Bruins’ 38. This goes against Marco Sturm’s comments before the series about the Bruins being bigger, stronger, and more physical.
“We expect that, that’s why we love it. I think it’s awesome,” Marco Sturm said. “That’s playoff hockey. So hitting is a big part of the game, and usually it’s the home team who sets the tone, or wants to set the tone, and they did a good job.”
Fortunately for the Bruins, it is only one game. Morgan Geekie echoed that after the game.
“It’s a seven-game series. You know, everyone’s going to say you can’t really lose a series in game one, but we put ourselves behind the 8-ball,” he said. “I think it is important to kind of get back on the horse and just continue to build our game.”
Morgan Geekie: “It’s a seven-game series. You know, everyone’s going to say you can’t really lose a series in game one, but we put ourselves behind the 8-ball.”“I think it is important to kind of get back on the horse and just continue to build our game.”@BOSHockeyNow |… pic.twitter.com/hJz7b1RzUQ
The Bruins have also shown resilience this season; they can respond quickly and turn their focus to Game 2.
“Yeah, the will is there. You know, guys blocking shots, guys battling hard, and you know, most of the nights, you are going to win more games than you will lose,” David Pastrnak said. “The will is there. It’s been there all year with this group. So, we just have to regroup again and come to work tomorrow, see what we did wrong in those last 10 minutes, and improve for Game 2.”
Game 2 is on Tuesday night at 7:30 PM, and the Bruins will look to even up the series before heading home for Game 3 on Thursday.