With Christmas right around the corner, the Bruins got into the holiday spirit by beating the hapless Sabres 4-1 at festive TD Garden. Buffalo (9-24-3) looked nothing like the team that shocked the Bruins (24-10-2) just two nights earlier, 4-2 in Loserville I mean Buffalo. Of course, having Tuukka Rask (34 saves) between the pipes instead of Chad Johnson helps not to mention the fact that the B's have now won their last seven games in a row at home with a 14-game point streak (12-0-2).
Just like you can't blame Johnson for Thursday's loss even though he gave up a shitty goal, the same can be said for good old Jhonas Enroth (35 saves) who has to go through life not only as Ryan Miller's backup but also the No. 2 goalie on the worst team in the NHL. That is depressing just to write, let alone live it.
Reilly Smith gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 9:39 of the first period on a one-timer. His power play goal, his 10th of the season, came with assists from Carl Soderberg and Ryan Spooner. It seems like Buffalo scores one goal per game (they have 64 goals in 36 games) so once my man Zemgus Girgensons banked the puck off Rask's back over the goal line with 1:06 left in the first period, that was it. The quota had been reached so Buffalo by rule couldn't score any additional goals.
The second period was an interesting one as David Krejci potted a pretty goal at 1:47 from Jarome Iginla. His seventh of the season was thanks to Iginla going against the grain and looking back for his centerman rather than ahead to fellow winger Milan Lucic. Once Krejci had the puck on his stick, poor Enroth didn't stand a chance as he roofed it over his glove hand.
What most people should remember from this game is Patrice Bergeron's fight with Tyler Myers. That's right, Bergeron who had a grand total of two career fights (both in the playoffs) decided to drop the gloves with Buffalo's Bigfoot defenseman (6-foot-8). Bergy didn't exactly score a knock out but he proved plenty to his teammates and Bruins fans, not that he ever needed to.
Milan Lucic added another log to the fire with a one-timer of his own at 5:18 of the third period. His team-leading 12th goal of the season was assisted by Krejci and Zdeno Chara. Smith notched an empty-netter with 21 seconds left, he is the second-leading goal-scorer on the B's. Who could have possibly imagined that?
Christmas will be long over (ok two days old) when you next see the Bruins on their home ice-Friday vs. Ottawa (7, NESN). Boston hits the road for a game in Nashville (16-16-4) on Monday (8, NESN) then just like every other team in the NHL, they have three consecutive days with no games. The rare Monday Night Hockey will give you something to do while you wrap presents or stuff your face with Christmas cookies.
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