BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins (1-2) let a huge game slip through their hands, as the Buffalo Sabres (2-1) came into TD Garden and won a massive game 3-1 on Thursday night.
The Bruins now trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven first-round series against the Sabres.
The Bruins struck first for the third straight game, but for the second time in three games, it didn't end up mattering. Buffalo attacked in waves, and slowly overrode the Bruins in their old building.
The first period went well, all things considered. Both power plays against could not get anything going with early chances.
The first period ended scoreless, but it took just under three-and-a-half minutes for Tanner Jeannot to break the ice with a rip off the rush.
The moment the game turned came midway through the second period as the Bruins led 1-0. With 10:10 left in the frame, Rasmus Dahlin tripped Viktor Arvidsson while he was on a breakaway.
Arvidsson moved in for his penalty shot and went blocker-side. Alex Lyon got a piece of it, and it went wide from there.
68 seconds later, the Sabres tied the game on a Bowen Byram blast. The air came out of the building, and the Bruins couldn't find their footing.
Still, with Jeremy Swayman once again dialed in, the Bruins found themselves tied at 1 after two periods, despite the 21 shots against.
The third began as the second period ended, with relentless Buffalo pressure. Jason Zucker rang it off the post 50 seconds into the period.
It took four minutes and three seconds for Alex Tuch to give the Sabres the lead, one they would not relinquish tonight in Boston.
A bang-bang play, with Hampus Lindholm and Mason Lohrei caught for a long shift, and Tuch took advantage of a tired Bruins unit. He found a loose puck in the slot, and wired one home.
Jordan Greenway rang it off iron, but then came Boston's push.
Thanks to a pair of Buffalo penalties in the final 10 minutes, the Bruins received their fourth and fifth man advantages of the game.
They found nothing but some perimeter one-timers, none of which greatly tested Lyon.
Noah Ostlund tucked in the empty-netter to ice the game with 1:24 to go.
Game 4 will be Sunday afternoon, with puck drop scheduled for just after 2 o'clock.