Khudobin Earns First Shutout in Bruins Win

BUFFALO - What goes through an NHL goalies' mind when opposing players are firing quality chances towards the net?
"Nothing," said Anton Khudobin. "I don't think anything. I just stop the puck and I just keep moving forward."

A whole lot of nothing was good for the Bruins on Tuesday night in Buffalo. Khudobin rejected 36 Buffalo shots to claim his first shutout of the season in Boston's 3-0 victory over the Sabres at Key Bank Center.
"We needed a big performance out of him," said Bruins veteran David Backes. "He made some really timely saves. Obviously, no blemishes on his record. They came at us in waves at times. We were able to limit the quality of chance a little bit and he was up to the task when he did get a couple through."

The 31-year-old netminder carried the load in the opening period, turning away 17 shots as the Bruins struggled to build momentum in their second game in as many days.
"Doby held us in the game," said the game-winning goal-scorer Jake DeBrusk. "He was the biggest reason why we won tonight."
With the shutout victory, Khudobin improved his record to 8-2-2, his goals against average to 2.45 and his save percentage to .924.
"He seemed square, in control," said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy after the win. "Not a lot bothering him. Not a lot going on around him in terms of him overplaying situations. You know he's in a good place when that happens. He deserved it. He was full value for us."

While Doby backstopped the B's to victory between the pipes, DeBrusk was the difference-maker on offense for the B's. His second goal in as many games came when he sped into the offensive zone and rifled a blistering wrist shot over the left shoulder of a helpless Robin Lehner.
The goal was a display of DeBrusk's growing confidence.
"Yeah I think [confidence has] been building all year," said DeBrusk. "I know that there's been ups and downs, and that there are ups and downs for everyone. Obviously the last two games things have gone my way. I'm just trying to keep building and the biggest thing is consistency."
DeBrusk now has five points in his past four games (2 goals, 3 assists). With David Krejci missing the last two contests due to an upper-body injury, DeBrusk has been playing on Ryan Spooner's wing. After the win in Buffalo, Cassidy expressed his satisfaction with the DeBrusk and the rest of his line.
"They are making things happen and they are trying to play a responsible game," said Cassidy. "And good for Jake. That's one thing he's got. He's got that wrister… He's got that kind of half slingshot there that I think he's able to beat goalies from a certain distance and he's shown that."

DeBrusk eventually got the Bruins going on offense, but defense appeared as though it might be a struggle early on. In the first period, the Bruins allowed 17 shots to get through to Khudobin. But in the final 40 minutes, the defense clamped down, limiting the Sabres to just 19. Bruins blue liner Kevan Miller was quick to spread the praise for the team's late game defensive success.
"I think it's not just the D," said Miller. "Doby did a really great job of just controlling the rebounds when they were there as the D and the forwards - everybody is in the slot to kind of put a fire out and clear the pucks out. So it was a good job overall."
Some of the late defensive intensity could be credited to an increase in competition with Adam McQuaid's impending return to full health.
"I think our D-core realizes and our whole lineup - there's good competition," said Cassidy. "Adam McQuaid is getting very close to pushing in the lineup. [Miller] doesn't want to be the guy that - none of them do.
"So they are trying every night to do what it takes to help win, and we've seen that in the forward group all year. We saw it in net. That's the sign of a good team when guys are pushing one another but still happy for each others success."

The healthy competition at nearly every position this season has resulted in production from up and down the lineup. That type of production has had a positive impact on the win column.
"All 20 guys are going and no passengers," Bruins forward Noel Acciari said. "Each line is contributing somehow and that's how you win games. Especially on a back-to-back night, everyone is pulling on the rope."
The fourth line of Acciari, Tim Schaller, and Sean Kuraly again played valuable minutes and created a number of offensive chances.
The line was rewarded late, as Schaller banked a shot the full length of the ice to score into the empty net and put the Bruins up 2-0.
While any offensive contributions from the fourth line are positive, their teammates appreciate them for their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the team. This was evident on Acciari's pair of late game blocked shots in the closing minutes against Buffalo.
"You look at a guy like Noel Acciari late in the game eating a couple pucks there point-blank, just sacrificing," said Backes. "That was kind of a microcosm of what we did tonight. It wasn't pretty by any means but... it was kind of the road game you need to play on a night."

Cassidy also lauded Acciari and his line's willingness to sacrifice for their teammates.
"It's just something he brings to the table every night," said Cassidy. "I said that the appreciation factor that the teammates have for plays like that - Schaller is willing to do it on most nights. You need to have those type of guys in the room.
"They are just good soldiers and it's very much appreciated. The hits he takes and the hits he gives, the shot blocks. All those little things that make up a team with character."

Wait, There's More

David Backes scored his fourth of the season, an empty-netter with 31 seconds left to put the B's up 3-0 … Miller was involved in his fourth fight of the season in the first period. After Miller flattened Jacob Josefson, Zach Bogosian took exception, leading to the scrap … Both David Pastrnak's (12) and Brad Marchand's (9) points streaks came to an end.