Alex Lyon replaced Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal for Game 3, and the switch paid off as Lyon made several key saves helping lead the Sabres to a 3-1 win over the Bruins Thursday night at TD Garden
The Sabres weathered an early Boston push, with Lyon turning aside the Bruins’ best chances to help Buffalo survive the opening frame without allowing a goal.
Boston struck first at 3:26 of the second when Tanner Jeannot skated into the circle, used Conor Timmins as a partial screen, and beat Lyon with a shot to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
Buffalo answered at 10:58 of the second period. Bowen Byram one-timed a pass from Noah Ostlund and ripped it by Jeremy Swayman to tie the game 1-1.
The Sabres carried much of the play for the rest of the second period, spending long stretches in the Boston zone, but they could not find the go-ahead goal until early in the third. At 4:03, Alex Tuch gathered a loose puck behind the faceoff circle and sniped it into the glove corner to put Buffalo ahead 2-1.
From there, the Sabres’ penalty kill and Lyon took over. Buffalo shut down Boston the rest of the way, and Ostlund sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 18:36.
The series continues Sunday.
