The Buffalo Sabres fell to the Boston Bruins, 4-2, in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Tuesday at KeyBank Center, as a late rally attempt came up short and evened the series at 1-1. Buffalo controlled stretches early but could not solve Boston’s goaltending until the final minutes.
The Sabres dictated play at even strength in the opening periods but were unable to break through against Jeremy Swayman, who turned aside chance after chance. Boston capitalized instead, scoring four unanswered goals to seize control, including one just seconds into the third period that stretched the lead. Despite generating pressure, Buffalo’s power play continued to struggle, finishing the night without a goal and remaining scoreless through two games in the series.
Buffalo finally broke through late in regulation when Bowen Byram scored with just over six minutes remaining, sparking life in the building. Peyton Krebs followed shortly after with a 6-on-5 goal to cut the deficit to two, briefly recreating the comeback energy from Game 1. However, the Bruins regrouped and shut things down from there, preventing the Sabres from completing another late surge.
In net, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 15 saves before being replaced, while Alex Lyon provided steady relief without allowing a goal. Defensively, the Sabres held firm for stretches but were undone by key moments and an inability to capitalize offensively. The game also featured a physical edge late, with multiple penalties assessed following a third-period scrum.
The Sabres will look to regain control of the series when they face the Bruins in Game 3 on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the TD Garden.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].