The Boston Bruins tried to break a two game losing streak and the Boston Celtics tried to bounce back after a loss to Houston, as both teams had tough road games Saturday night.
At KeyBank Center in Buffalo, the Boston Bruins bounced back after back to back losses to Carolina and New Jersey by topping the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime.
Marco Scandella put the Sabres up first in the opening period at 4:40, while Noel Acciari scored his first of the year to tie it with an unassisted goal for the B’s at 9:30.
Buffalo (21-12-6) regained the lead when Johan Larsson scored shorthanded at 5:43 of the second. The score remained 2-1 Sabres until the Bruins Jake Debrusk scored on the powerplay with just 2:29 left in regulation to tie it and send the game to overtime. Sean Kuraly got the game winner in the extra session moments after Tuuka Rask made a huge save in front of his net on the other end. Kuraly picked the puck up at center ice, skated down the left wing and put a shot on Carter Hutton from just inside the blue line. The shot handcuffed Hutton, and bounced loose just outside the crease in front of his net, and Kuraly swooped in and one handed a back hander over Huttons shoulder to end it improving Bostons record to 21-14-4.
Rask made 26 saves on 28 shots to earn the win in the Bruins net. Hutton made 39 saves on 42 shots in the loss for the Sabres. Boston was 1-4 on the powerplay, while Buffalo was 0-3. The Bruins now get ready to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium on Tuesday at 1 pm.
Kyrie Irving scored 22 of his 26 points in the second half, to lead the Boston Celtics to a come from behind 112-103 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.
Boston (21-14) had a three point lead after one quarter, before Memphis exploded outscoring the Celtics 38-18 in the second to take a 64-47 lead at halftime. The Grizzlies held a 19 point lead early in the third, before the Celts used an 11-2 run to get within 87-79 headed to the fourth. Boston took their first lead since early in the second quarter when Irving hit a shot in the paint with six minutes left. Memphis (18-17) still led 97-96 later in the fourth, until Al Horford hit a pair of three pointers in the last two minutes of action to help the visitors pull off the comeback by outscoring the Grizzlies 65-39 in the second half. Memphis missed 15 of their first 16 shot attempts in the fourth quarter dominated by Boston 33-16.
Irving added four rebounds and 13 assists to his point total for Boston. Marcus Morris had 22 points. Horford had 18 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Gordon Hayward also finished in double figures with 14 points, three rebounds, and four assists. Mike Conley had 26 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals for Memphis. Jaren Jackson Jr and Marc Gasol had 15 points a piece, with Gasol adding 10 assists. Kyle Anderson also chipped in 10 points. Boston was 16-36 from three point range, while Memphis was only 7-26. Boston is at San Antonio for a 7 pm matchup with the Spurs on Monday night.
