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National Hockey League
Buffalo 4, Boston 2
When: 5:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 16, 2018
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Referees: T.J. Luxmore, Wes McCauley
Linesmen: Derek Amell, Steve Barton
Attendance: 17565

Buffalo's Jeff Skinner scored two goals, including the go-ahead tally late in the third period, as the Sabres knocked off the host Boston Bruins 4-2 on Sunday.

Skinner broke a 2-2 tie when he lifted a pass from Jack Eichel for his team-leading 24th goal to give Buffalo its third lead of the game with 3:31 remaining. Eichel put it away with an empty-net marker with 25 seconds left.

Eichel finished with two goals and two assists, Sam Reinhart had three assists -- all in the third period -- and Rasmus Dahlin posted two helpers for the Sabres, who won for the third straight time in Boston.

Reinhart extended his point streak to 10 games while Skinner and Eichel both stretched their streaks to six games.

Eichel has 13 points in his last six contests and tied Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon for most multi-point games this season with 17.

Steven Kampfer and Torey Krug scored for the Bruins, who lost their second straight. Krug hit the post with 90 seconds left and Boston then pulled goalie Tuukka Rask.

Buffalo's Linus Ullmark stopped 35 shots. Rask made 23 saves.

The best scoring chance in the first period occurred when Boston's Ryan Donato was held by defenseman Matt Hunwick on a breakaway with three-and-a-half minutes left in the period, creating a penalty shot for the center.

However, Ullmark won the battle with Donato when the Boston forward lost an edge and was unable to sweep in the puck as he was falling down.

Skinner netted his 23rd goal at 3:18 of the second period. Eichel pivoted in the left circle and skated behind Rask before sending a beautiful pass back to the space he had vacated for Skinner's goal and a 1-0 lead.

Boston answered in exactly two minutes when Joakim Nordstrom skated behind Ullmark and sent a circle-to-circle pass to the charging Kampfer, who beat Ullmark over the goalie's left shoulder to tie it at 1.

A potential goal by Boston's Brad Marchand at 11:58 was waved off after a replay determined an official's whistle sounded before the puck slid over the goal line.

Eichel took a drop-pass from Reinhart in the neutral zone, skated wide of a defenseman and ripped his 13th goal from the right circle for a 2-1 lead at 5:43 of the third period, but Krug tied it with his third goal at 13:21.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Buffalo   Boston
Jack Eichel 4 Points Steven Kampfer 1
Jack Eichel 2 Goals Steven Kampfer 1
Sam Reinhart 3 Assists David Backes 1
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Linus Ullmark .946 Save Percentage Tuukka Rask .885
Linus Ullmark 35 Saves Tuukka Rask 23
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Buffalo 27 4 0-1 2-2 4 30
Boston 37 2 0-2 1-1 2 35
Upcoming Games
  • Boston will play their next game on the road against Montreal. The Bruins have a W/L % of .471 after a win and .562 after a loss.
  • Buffalo will play their next game at home against Florida. The Sabres have a W/L % of .650 after a win and .500 after a loss.