“Whenever you can kick it out as a defenseman and push their D back, you can help your forwards create, and that’s what happened,” Samuelsson said. “… That’s hockey, that’s fun, that’s making plays.”
Then, 1:33 later, Samuelsson extended a shift with a keep-in at the blue line. He notched another assist when Krebs, set up in front of the crease, deflected in Tage Thompson’s shot. Krebs went 34 games without a goal but now has two since Sunday night.
And Samuelsson capped off the outburst with a tally of his own, beating Joonas Korpisalo with a well-screened shot from the top of the left circle. After playing 246 games without a three-point night, the 25-year-old had accomplished the feat in a 6:15 span.
Apart from one late shift by their first line, the Bruins had no answers in that second period, as the Sabres led 13-2 in shots and 21-10 in shot attempts to seize control of the game.
“You saw the surge, offensively, that we’re capable of when we play a fast game and keep the tempo up, attack, keep them on their heels,” Samuelsson said.
As Buffalo’s top matchup defender, he played a large chunk of his minutes against Pastrnak, Geekie and Elias Lindholm, and that trio was mostly quiet after Pastrnak’s early goal, just another testament to Samuelsson’s all-around excellence – Saturday and most of the season.
“He’s been one of our best players every single night,” Krebs said.
“From what he’s done chipping in offensively and the work he’s done on the PK, and then playing against every top line and big minutes every night,” added Ruff, “he’s really playing a good brand of hockey for us.”
Here’s more from consecutive win No. 8.