Buffalo, NY (Sports Network) - Ryan Miller stopped 38-of-39 shots as Buffalo clipped Boston, 2-1, in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal from HSBC Arena.
Sabres 2, Bruins 1: Ryan Miller Makes 38 Saves, Buffalo Takes Game 1
Thomas Vanek and Craig Rivet lit the lamp for the Sabres, who won their first postseason contest since the 2007 Eastern Conference finals against Ottawa.
Mark Recchi notched the only goal for the Bruins, who hadn't dropped the first game of a playoff series since losing two in a row to start their 2008 East quarterfinal tilt with Montreal.
Tuukka Rask was strong in defeat, making 30 saves.
Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday afternoon in Buffalo.
Buffalo got on the board at 4:52 of the first period when Derek Roy dropped a pass for Vanek, who ripped home a wrister from the slot.
Boston knotted the game on a power play 9 1/2 minutes into the second period, when Recchi took a Zdeno Chara rebound and stuck the shot under the crossbar.
Rivet put the Sabres back on top at 14:10, when his blast from the right circle rippled the net inside the left post.
Miller remained strong, as Boston outshot Buffalo 24-8 in the middle 20 minutes and held a 33-20 advantage heading to the third.
The Sabres were unable to pad their advantage in the third period, despite a pair of power plays as well as numerous scoring chances while buzzing around Rask.
Rask was called to the bench for an extra attacker with just under 90 seconds to play, but any Bruins comeback bid was cut short after Chara was whistled for hooking in the final seconds.
This is the eighth all-time meeting between the clubs in the postseason, with the Bruins having won five of seven...The Sabres took the last two matchups, in a 1999 Eastern Conference semifinal and a 1993 Adams Division semifinal...Buffalo played without forward Jochen Hecht, who will be out at least a week after surgery on his finger...Prior to the game, Bruins assistant coach Craig Ramsay was taken to a local hospital to be treated for the flu...Recchi tallied his 51st career playoff goal...The 24 shots allowed by the Sabres in the second period equaled the team playoff record, originally set in a second-round playoff contest with Chicago in 1980.
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