Bruins Postgame: Bruins Lose To Sabres 3-1 And Lose McAvoy

The Boston Bruins laid an absolute stinker at TD Garden on Thursday, losing 3-1 to the Buffalo Sabres.

The loss snapped a three-game win streak for the Boston Bruins and a four-game losing streak for the Sabres.

J.J. Peterka, Tage Thompson, and Victor Olofsson scored for the Sabres, and former Northeastern goalie Devon Levi made 28 saves to earn his first win over the Bruins.

Brad Marchand scored the lone goal for the Bruins and has now scored the team’s last five goals dating back to his overtime winner against the Maple Leafs in Toronto last Saturday. While he took the loss, Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark was the lone bright spot for the Bruins, making 33 saves and giving his team a chance.

In addition to losing the game, the Bruins could be without defenseman Charlie McAvoy going forward, as he left the game early in the third period following a collision with Peterka. Bruins’ head coach, Jim Montgomery, did not have a postgame status on his best defenseman except that he had an upper-body injury.

Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Bruins Postgame:

CLUTCH: Sabres forward J.J. Peterka was an absolute beast! Peterka put the Sabres up 1-0 1:18 into the second period and finished the game with six shots, one hit, one takeaway, and one blocked shot.

Blink and you miss it! Buffalo forward JJ Peterka wires it off the offensive zone draw into the back of the net for his 11th goal of the season. ⁦@jj_peterka⁩ ⁦@OctagonHockey⁩ pic.twitter.com/7TxJ1bEC2O

— Allan Walsh🏒 (@walsha) December 8, 2023

BANGER: Since being scratched last Saturday in Toronto, Bruins rookie center John Beecher has played better, and on Thursday night, he was a hitting machine finishing with five hits.

DOGHOUSE: As I tweeted on Thursday afternoon, Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman, who did not dress for this game, was not the only one battling a nasty bug running through the Bruins dressing room. That showed with the Bruins’ lack of energy, but there’s no excuse for the absolute no-show of a first period they had. The Bruins were out-shot 19-5 in the opening frame and went over 12 minutes without a shot. They were lucky to be tied 0-0 in the first intermission.

UNSUNG HERO: Sabres goalie Devon Levi deserves some love here, but even in the loss, reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark gets the nod here. Ullmark stopped all 19 shots in the first period and finished with 33 saves. If not for him, the Bruins would’ve been blown out.

Boston Bruins Lineup

Forwards

Jake DeBrusk-Pavel Zacha-David Pastrnak

Brad Marchand-Charlie Coyle-Danton Heinen

James van Riemsdyk-Morgan Geekie-Trent Frederic

Jakub Lauko-Johnny Beecher-Oskar Steen

Defensemen

Matt Grzelcyk-Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo

Mason Lohrei-Kevin Shattenkirk

Goalies

Linus Ullmark

Jeremy Swayman