BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Tuukka Rask continues to get it done between the pipes for the Boston Bruins.

Rask made a season-high 35 saves on Saturday afternoon to lead the Bruins to a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

"He's playing much better," Bruins head coach Claude Julien said. "He's made some really big saves. He seems to be control and he's feeling it."

David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron scored for Boston (14-10-1).

Rask has bounced back after a down year for both him and the Bruins last season. He's off to one of the best starts of his career with a save percentage of .939 and a goals-against average of 1.64 through 18 games.

"I feel good," Rask said. "I'm seeing the puck well. Guys are doing a great job keeping them on the outside and clearing the rebounds for the most part, so that helps out."

Rask's best save came one minute into the second period when he shut the door on Sabres left winger William Carrier from close range. He and the rest of the Bruins defense also came up big with the Sabres pressing late. Buffalo had 18 shots in the third period in an effort to tie the game.

Boston has won two in a row and is 3-0-1 in its last four games.

"Great battle at the end there to keep it tight," Rask said. "This week has been really good for us."

Evander Kane scored for the Sabres (9-10-5), who were unable to build off a rare scoring surge in recent games. Since Jack Eichel's return on Tuesday, the lowest scoring team in the league had nine goals in its previous two games.

"I liked our first five minutes of the game, and then it dropped off," Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma said. "We struggled getting out of the defensive (zone), turned the puck over there and gave them momentum, gave them opportunities."

Robin Lehner made 29 saves for Buffalo.

"They played a pretty sound, systematic game," Sabres defenseman Cody Franson said. "First two periods we had a tough time generating some offensive chances. They kind of just stayed on top."

Krejci opened the scoring with 5:50 remaining in the first period on a deflection in front of the net. Krejci redirected defenseman Brandon Carlo's shot from the point for his fifth goal of the year.

The Sabres briefly thought they tied the score with 2:50 remaining in the second but captain Brian Gionta's goal was overturned. Gionta kicked the puck into the net with his left skate and clearly used a kicking motion.

Bergeron made it 2-0 at 7:44 into the third. The Boston center knocked the puck out of the air with his left hand and eventually collected it on the other side of the net, tucking in a backhand shot for his fourth goal of the year.

"Obviously I wasn't trying to do that," Bergeron said. "I was trying to keep the puck alive. But I'll take that bounce, I tell you that."

The Sabres quickly answered on Kane's first goal of the season to cut Boston's lead to 2-1. With center Sam Reinhart stationed behind the Bruins' net, Reinhart found Kane rushing inside the left circle and the power forward's quick shot went into the top of the net at 9:12.

The Sabres had a late power-play opportunity with 6:29 remaining but were unable to tie the score.

Bruins left winger Matt Beleskey left the game early in the second period because of a lower-body injury and did not return. Beleskey was shaken up after a hit by Sabres forward Taylor Fedun near the Sabres' blue line.

Sabres defenseman Brendan Guhle played in his first career game. The 19-year-old was recalled from the WHL on an emergency basis with injuries depleting Buffalo's defensive corps.

Guhle was a second-round pick of the Sabres in 2015.

"He stepped in, played well tonight," Franson said. "That's not an easy thing to do coming out of juniors. He did very well."

NOTES: The Sabres were without three of their top defensemen, as Josh Gorges (foot), Zach Bogosian (knee sprain) and Dmitry Kulikov (lower back) all were scratched. Gorges is expected to miss some time after injuring a foot on a blocked shot in Thursday's win over the New York Rangers. ... D Zdeno Chara (lower body), RW Jimmy Hayes and D Tommy Cross were scratched for the Bruins. Chara, the Bruins' captain, has missed six games because of a lower-body injury. ... This was the second of four games between the teams this season. Their next meeting is on Thursday, Dec. 29, in Buffalo.