By WBFO News
Buffalo, NY – Ryan Miller made 38 saves to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a playoff-opening 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
Captain Craig Rivet scored the go-ahead goal with slap shot from the right circle with 6 minutes left in the second period, and Thomas Vanek also scored in Buffalo's first playoff game in three years.
Miller stoped 23 shots in the second period alone, in building on a stellar season in which he won a franchise-best 41 games.
Mark Recchi scored for the Bruins, who finished the regular season on a 8-3-1 roll to finish sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Game 2 of the best-of-7 Eastern Conference quarterfinal is Saturday in Buffalo.