The Sabres return home for an Atlantic Division showdown. The Buffalo Sabres face the Boston Bruins on Tuesday at KeyBank Center, aiming to put their 1-3-0 road trip, which ended with a 3-2 loss Saturday in Edmonton, behind them.

For this matchup against the Sabres, the Bruins' forward group will be getting a boost. This is because forward Cole Koepke will be back in the lineup after missing each of the Bruins' last five games.

Boston Bruins left wing Cole Koepke (45) collides with Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the crease during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes) AP

The lead lasted all of 55 seconds. The B’s top line got hemmed in its own end for much of the shift and, after it finally pushed it out of the zone, the players got caught in a change. On a Sabre 4-on-3, Matt Poitras got lost out high and Dylan Cozens connected with the wide-open trailer Thompson, who ripped a slapper past Swayman.

Defeating the Sabres would have allowed the Bruins to pass the Ottawa Senators again in the Atlantic Division standings. Thus, the Bruins threw away a golden opportunity in this matchup against Buffalo.

The Bruins lost by a 7-2 score to the Sabres, who are at the very bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. They were outplayed

The Bruins started the scoring with Mason Lohrei taking the puck from the point, made Zach Benson bite and fail to catch him, and then Lohrei took the puck to the net, hammering it home to get the Bruins on top 1-0!