Bruins break long-standing NHL record in rout of Sabres

After a 7-1 rout of the Buffalo Sabres Thursday night, the Boston Bruins broke a long-standing Montreal Canadiens record that was set during the 1976-77 season. 

The Bruins moved to 48-8-5 on the season, recording 101 points for the year in just 61 games. That is the fastest any NHL team has been able to reach 100 points in a single season. 

The Canadiens also set the record with 132 points, which is still the most any team has totaled in one season. With 21 games left, the Bruins can break that record as well. 

Prior to the game, the Bruins had themselves a solid morning, signing their star winger David Pastrnak to a $90 million extension over the next eight seasons while trading for Tyler Bertuzzi to shore up their forwards. 

Pastrnak was able to score one of the seven Bruins goals, an empty netter in the five-goal third period for Boston. He also had two assists, one in the second period and the other in the third. 

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Dmitry Orlov, who came over in the Bruins’ first trade with the Washington Capitals that also brought Garnet Hathaway into the fold, scored his third goal with the Bruins two nights after he saw two hit the twine in Calgary. 

Orlov has benefited from head coach David Montgomery’s initiative to have his defensemen jump in on offense, tallying eight points in his first four games with the Bruins. 

The Sabres were only down 2-0 after the second period, but the Bruins exploded toward the end of the third period. They scored two short-handed goals, as Buffalo pulled the goalie for a 6-on-4 power play to try to get back in the game. 

Instead, captain Patrice Bergeron sent the puck 200 feet down the ice for the empty-net goal, making it a 5-1 game. Casey Mittlestadt spoiled Jeremy Swayman’s shutout with a high wrister that stayed under the bar. 

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Then, just seconds later, Charlie Coyle helped Hathaway and Connor Clifton spring forward for a 2-on-1. Hathaway found Clifton, who chipped it over the glove of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to add another on the scoreboard. 

Jakob Lauko, who was called up after Nick Foligno and Taylor Hall were placed on the injured reserve list, scored two goals in this one, including the seventh and final one. 

Boston has a firm spot at the top of the Eastern Conference, looking ahead to a Stanley Cup Playoff run.

With that, more history may come their way.