Pastrnak has 3 points in Bruins win against Sabres

BUFFALO -- David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists to help the Boston Bruins to a 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Tuesday.

“Great first period,” Pastrnak said. “It's always nice to get the lead early, especially on the road. I think the first period kind of set the game up. Obviously, it wasn't a great game for us overall, there were mistakes, but most importantly, we got the goals and we got the saves and we got the [win].”

Pavel Zacha and Charlie McAvoy each had two assists, and Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the Bruins (12-1-2).

“It’s what everybody strives for,” Ullmark said of the team’s success. “You want to be in a winning culture, you want to create a winning culture and you want to carry on that winning culture. And Boston has been so good through many years of doing that and now, we’ve got to pick up the torch and keep the flame burning as bright as it has been.”

Victor Olofsson scored twice for the Sabres (7-8-1), and Devon Levi allowed five goals on 18 shots before being replaced by Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (14 saves) late in the second period.

“They were sharper, obviously, than we were,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “We had chances (outshot Boston 34-32). They were sharper. We need to look in the mirror on that, and I know we will. We generated looks that could have been converted with a little bit more. That is not good enough.

“You talk about the night being [Kyle] Okposo’s 1,000th game, I know our group and I know they’ll be extremely disappointed and down as a result, and they will look in the mirror.”

Buffalo center Tage Thompson left the game at 11:05 of the second with an upper-body injury. He missed the final 15 minutes of the first period with a lower-body injury but returned for the second.

“Tage is going to miss some time here,” Granato said. “Probably significant time, unfortunately. He fought through the first injury but couldn’t fight through the second one. Credit to him to battle, but it’s unfortunate.”

Danton Heinen gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 3:01 of the first period, poking in the rebound of McAvoy’s shot at the front of the net.

Pastrnak took a cross-ice pass from Zacha on the rush and scored with a one-timer to make it 2-0 at 4:09.

Brandon Carlo finished off a quick passing play on a 3-on-1 with Pastrnak and Zacha to push the Bruins lead to 3-0 at 15:14.

“He makes people around him better,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said of Pastrnak, who ranks second in the NHL with 24 points in 15 games. “As good a goal-scorer he is, he’s as equal passer, and the way he competes as a leader on our team and our most skilled player, it shows everybody that you have to work to have success.”

Oskar Steen scored top corner from the left circle to extend it to 4-0 at 4:07 of the second, and Hampus Lindholm made it 5-0 at 12:23 with a slap shot from the blue line on a power play.

Olofsson converted on a rebound off the end boards to cut it to 5-1 at 15:07.

Levi was pulled following the goal.

Olofsson got his second goal, spinning and scoring from the slot at 15:02 of the third period for the 5-2 final.

“I feel like I just kind of attacked a little bit more,” Olofsson said. “I kind of searched those pucks around the net. I’m not just looking for open ice. I tried to just go to the net and had a lucky bounce there, the first one. And then the second one, JJ [Peterka] found me with a great pass.”

NOTES: It was Pastrnak's 53rd career three-point game and his 141st road goal, tying Cam Neely for 11th and seventh, respectively, in Bruins history. He also became the 10th player in Boston history with 300 career road points. Ray Bourque leads with 689. … Bruins center Charlie Coyle played his 800th NHL game. … Okposo was honored before the game for his milestone. … Buffalo defenseman Henri Jokiharju did not play due to illness.