Sabres shut out Bruins

Boston
Bruins

"Right from the beginning to the end we were the better team tonight," said Hasek. "I don't care about shutouts in the playoffs; it's everything to win the game. I'm happy we are up 3-1, shutouts don't mean anything."

After a scoreless period the Sabres took the lead with goals from Alexei Zhitnik and Vaclav Varada. In the third period Michael Peca sealed the Bruins' fate with a shorthanded goal. Peca has three goals and seven assists in the Sabres' eight playoff games.

"He has been unbelievable," said Sabres defenseman Jason Woolley of Peca. "I think he wanted to make a statement and he is making a big statement. He is shutting down all the number one lines, that is half the battle, and he is scoring. He is doing it all right now. He is being a heck of a leader and we are trying to follow by example."

The Bruins have lost six straight games in Buffalo. They have trailed three games to one in 18 previous series and never have rallied to win, losing Game Five on 15 occasions.

"It was an old-fashioned (butt) booting," said Bruins coach Pat Burns. "There is no excuse for it. Now we have to react. We lost as a team and now we have to regroup and try to win as a team."