Boston Bruins
Boston’s defense held Buffalo to just one shot on goal in the first period.
The Bruins defense made a statement in their 3-1 win over the Sabres on Saturday night.
Jeremy Swayman did his part, stopping 21 of the 22 shots he faced, but the defense in front of him stole the show, holding Buffalo to just one shot on goal in the entire first period.
For the Bruins, a 3-0 start to the season wasn’t something many expected. After shipping away valuable assets and letting others walk over the last year, it seemed the 2025-26 Bruins were poised for something of a retooling year. And while that still could turn out to be true, for the first week of the season Boston has been one of the best teams in the NHL.
“One thing that was kind of a strength of our team the last three games we were able to finish the games and win them without their goalie playing 5-on-6,” Bruins forward Pavel Zacha said after the game. “I think we kind of show our strength, that we really play to the structure on defense, and we’re able to win.”
Swayman now has 56 saves in his two starts this season and has only allowed one goal in each of those contests. Even though Boston kept his net cleaner on Saturday night, he still made a few key stops to keep the Bruins’ lead intact.
“He’s been unbelievable,” Zacha said of Swayman. “Both of our goalies help us log the win in those games. You need that in this league, good strong goalies. I’m happy we have both [Swayman and Joonas Korpisalo], they’re unbelievable.”
Swayman heaped plenty of praise back on his defense — and in particular Boston’s penalty kill unit — which had another perfect night on Saturday, killing off all four penalties committed on Saturday.
Both special teams have looked good through three games under new coach Marco Sturm, but the penalty kill in particular has helped establish Boston as a difficult team to play against early. Swayman was asked after the game Saturday what specifically makes those units run so well.
“Their intensity. It’s our four outworking their five and its obvious,” Swayman said. “And that’s something that we all can get behind and stick to with our identity. I know it just is a huge momentum shift for us when we get kills like that.”
The Bruins will have their first major test of the season this coming week. After playing one more game at TD Garden on Monday against the Lightning, Boston will head out west for a three games in four days, facing the Golden Knights Thursday, Avalanche Saturday and Utah Mammoth on Sunday.
There’s plenty of season ahead of them, but this Bruins team is playing strong and confident to start the year.
“For the other teams to play in Boston it’s going to be hard games. To come in here, everyone’s going to be saying it’s hard to win in this arena,” Zacha told reporters. “And even for us now on the road it’s going to be something that’s been building for three weeks since training camp.
“It’s showing up now but I think we still have to keep going.”
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