Bruins Power Past Sabres In Second Period, Tie Series At 1

Luukkonen allowed two more goals in the next four minutes, and Buffalo Head Coach Lindy Ruff had seen enough, yanking his starter just 16 seconds into the third period.

Luukkonen allowed four goals on 19 shots tonight, one game after allowed three on 20 shots.

That's the type of goal that can completely change a series and destroy a goalie's confidence.

Luukkonen hasn't been sharp for the Sabres thus far in the series.

Swayman excelled again early, keeping Boston in it and then riding things out after it got out of hand.

After Buffalo started with their hair on fire and outshot Boston 7-2 to kick things off, the Bruins ran Buffalo out of their own building.

The first period remained scoreless, but the fun began in the second period for Boston.

Just under five minutes into the second, Jonathan Aspirot chipped a puck high in the sky, over two Buffalo defenders.

Those defenders, including Matias Samuelsson, were lax in their efforts initially to get back.

Arvidsson pounced.

It's an unbelievable play by Arvidsson, who used his speed and snuck it clean five-hole on Luukkonen.

The teams traded empty power plays, and as the period wound down, that's when Geekie's goal came about.

Luukkonen lost his confidence. Buffalo took a penalty.

15 seconds later, Zacha made it 3-0 with a pretty redirection.

David Pastrnak racked up five points through two games following that goal, staying beyond red-hot.

The second intermission gave Luukkonen and the Sabres time to catch their breath and regroup, or at least try.

16 seconds into the third period, Arvidsson sniped his second of the game, and it was all over.

It's a perfect play from the second line, with Casey Mittelstadt's little touch pass springing the 2-on-1 for Arvidsson and Zacha.

Ruff pulled Luukkonen, and chaos broke out from there.

Buffalo ran Swayman one too many times after the whistle, and an all-out melee featuring both teams top lines broke out:

The Bruins and Sabres just mucked it up from there.

Then, in the final seven minutes, the ghost of game 1 arrived.

Bowen Byram sniped one from the point. Then, with the goalie pulled, Peyton Krebs made it a 4-2 game.

Swayman emphatically waved at Sturm to take his timeout, a request Sturm obliged.

The Sabres pushed, but the Bruins built enough of an early cushion to survive this Buffalo comeback bid.

Game 3 comes Thursday night inside TD Garden with the series tied 1-1.