The Bruins are looking to snap a four-game losing streak following their three-day holiday break.
The Boston Bruins are back from their three-day holiday break and will look to snap a four-game losing streak – their longest of the season – when they face the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday night for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop at KeyBank Center.
“We haven’t been playing Bruins hockey for a while here consistently,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery told reporters Wednesday.
The B’s are coming off back-to-back road losses that showcased some of their worst hockey of the year. Boston looked uninspired and sloppy in Friday’s 5-1 drubbing against the Winnipeg Jets, and had little response the following night when they fell 3-2 to the Minnesota Wild.
“Especially with the way we ended before this trip, we should have a lot of jump tonight. We came in and had a good practice, and looking to get back on the right foot,” Brandon Carlo told reporters Wednesday.
Wednesday marks the third and final time the Bruins and the Sabres will meet in the 2023-24 regular season. Buffalo won the teams’ last contest 3-1 on Dec. 7 after Boston took the first game 5-2 on Nov. 14.
“Very skilled team, fast, they play fast. When they’re engaged they can do a lot of damage on the offensive side of things,” Carlo said. “We just need to make sure to play a little bit behind them and keep them hemmed in their own zone if we can.”
Jeremy Swayman will start in net Wednesday night for Boston. The goaltender last played Friday against the Jets and has a 2.25 goals against average and .928 save percentage through 16 games.
Montgomery said Oskar Steen will draw out of the lineup and Patrick Brown will take his place – likely on the fourth line with Johnny Beecher and Jakub Lauko. Kevin Shattenkrik will re-enter the lineup, likely on the third pair with Parker Wotherspoon. Ian Mitchell – who was called up from AHL Providence on an emergency basis Saturday – will sit.
Matt Grzelcyk missed the last two games with the Bruins after sustaining an upper-body injury on Dec. 19 against the Wild at TD Garden. It’s presumed that he is still out, day-to-day.
Dec 7, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Sabres goaltender Devon Levi (27) makes a save in front of Boston Bruins left wing James van Riemsdyk (21) during the third period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY SportsFive things to know about the Sabres:
- The Sabres last played Saturday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden where they lost 4-3 in overtime. Before that, Buffalo won 9-3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 21 and lost 9-4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 19. The Sabres have a 14-17-4 record.
- Forward Casey Mittelstadt and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin are tied for most points on the team with 29. Mittelstadt has nine goals, 20 assists and Dahlin has 10 goals, 19 assists.
- Buffalo’s power play has struggled this season, ranked 26th in the league at 14.1 percent. The Sabres’ penalty kill is 15th in the league at 80.2 percent.
- Goaltender Devon Levi is expected to get the start against the Bruins. The 22-year-old has posted a 3.25 goals against average and 8.92 save percentage through 15 games. Levi was sent down to the AHL for two games, but has found some consistency since returning. The netminder last played Thursday against Toronto and made 27 saves in the win.
- Winger Jeff Skinner leads the Sabres in goals with 14. Skinner is skating on the first line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.