Boston (WGR550) -- The Boston Bruins capitalized on two power plays in the first period to top the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 at the TD Garden Saturday night in Boston. The loss was the second in as many days for the Sabres.
Mark Recchi gave the Bruins an early 1-0 lead on the Sabres with a power play goal in the opening period. Derek Morris and Zdeno Chara assisted on the extra man tally. Chara notched his own power play goal later in the period to give Boston a 2-0 lead. Blake Wheeler was credited with the only assist on the power play tally.
Byron Bitz capitalized on a Buffalo turnover to up the Bruins' lead to 3-0 in the second period. Bitz picked up the puck near the half wall after it deflected off of Steve Montador's skate on a clearing attempt by the Sabres. Derek Roy answered back more than a minute later to get Buffalo on the board. Craig Rivet and Clarke MacArthur were credited with assists on the goal. Roy has now scored in three straight games.
Marco Sturm added to the Boston lead with his third goal of the season. Sturm's shot rattled off of the goal post and found its way past Jhonas Enroth for the goal. Patrice Burgeron received the only assist on the goal.
Several fights broke out in the final period. Paul Gaustad and Scott Thornton teed off on each other with 6:00 to go in the game after Gaustad leveled a hit on a Bruin along the boards. Jochen Hecht paired off with Mark Stuart a few minutes later. Chara and Patrick Kaleta let out their aggressions on one another before the puck dropped with just over two minutes to go in the game as well.
Jason Pominville scored on a one-time shot after a nifty pass from Tyler Myers to cut the deficit to 4-2 late in the game. Myers and Tim Connolly assisted on the power play gaol. Enroth was pulled in favor of the extra attacker following the goal, however the Sabres failed to score again.
Jhonas Enroth made 33 saves in the loss, while Tuukka Rask turned away 28 Buffalo shots for the victory. The Sabres were 1-for-8 on the power play and the Bruins went 2-for-3 on the man advantage.
The Sabres host the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night for a 7 o'clock face-off. Pregame coverage begins at 6 p.m. with Schopp and the Bulldog on WGR Sports Radio 550 and wgr550.com.
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Photo courtesy of The AP.