Spooner Leads Bruins To 3-2 Shootout Win Over Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Center Ryan Spooner scored in regulation and the shootout to lead the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.

Spooner scored the lone goal of the shootout. Shooting first for Boston, Spooner skated far to his right before cutting and putting a slick wrist shot inside the near post.

Left winger Brad Marchand also scored in regulation for the Bruins (27-18-6) while goalie Tuukka Rask made 26 saves.

Center Sam Reinhart and left winger Evander Kane scored in regulation for the Sabres (21-26-5) while goalie Chad Johnson made 31 saves.

Kane opened the scoring with 8:25 remaining in the first period. After Sabres captain Brian Gionta rang a shot off the left post, Gionta recovered the puck before finding Kane near the Bruins net. Kane tucked a quick shot inside the far post to his left for his 12th goal of the season.

Reinhart made it 2-0 47 seconds into the second period on a deflection in front of the Bruins net. Reinhart tipped defenseman Mark Pysyk's long shot from the point for his 13th goal of the season.

The Bruins quickly struck back by getting on the board less than a minute later. After defenseman Torey Krug's long shot from the point was stopped, Spooner poked home the rebound for his 11th goal of the season. Spooner has five points in his last six games.

Plus/Minus From Bruins' Shootout Win Over Sabres:

Marchand evened the score 2:44 into the third. The Boston left winger skated with speed up ice before putting a seemingly harmless backhand shot past Johnson for his 23rd goal of the season and his eighth goal in the past eight games.

Both teams had chances to win the game in overtime with one power-play opportunity apiece. With Kane in the box for slashing, Johnson made a tremendous stop on Bruins center Patrice Bergeron from point-blank range 1:29 into overtime. With Bergeron in the box moments later for hooking, Rask made a big save with 39.1 seconds left in the extra session on O'Reilly.

NOTES: Sabres D Mike Weber and D Carlo Colaiacovo were scratched. C Joonas Kemppainen, D Joe Morrow and RW Tyler Randell were scratched for the Bruins. ... The teams meet again Saturday in Boston for their fourth and final time this season. After a home game against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, the Bruins will go on a season-high, six-game road trip that starts Feb. 11 against Winnipeg and ends Feb. 20 against Dallas. ... The Sabres and Bruins split their previous two meetings. Buffalo is the only team that Boston has never swept in a season series.