Craig Smith’s hat trick helps Bruins blow out league-worst Sabres

© John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Craig Smith (left) gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the first period.

After watching the Bruins essentially take target practice for nearly 20 minutes on Saturday afternoon, Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin tried his best to simply get the puck out of the Buffalo zone with the last seconds of the first period ticking down, but Brad Marchand wouldn’t let him.

Dahlin tried flicking the puck in the air to clear it, but Marchand caught it, dropped it, and sent it toward David Pastrnak, who was hanging out in front of the net.

The Bruins had already ripped off 17 shots in the period. Why not one more?

Dahlin, tired of the Bruins teeing off, broke up the pass and shipped it to the other side to let the clock finally drain on a long period.

The Sabres skated off the ice down, 2-1, looking like a team ready for the season to end. The Bruins, on the other hand, looked like a team sharpening their knives for what’s ahead.

In a 6-2 win that was identical to the beating they handed the Sabres on Thursday, the Bruins made their final game against Buffalo look like a walkthrough. They picked up their ninth win in the last 11 games. They finished the season 7-1 against the Sabres.

For much of the season, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy had been searching for scoring beyond the top line of Patrice Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak.

Fueled by Craig Smith’s second career hat trick, the second line gave the Bruins what Cassidy was looking for.

Smith got the Bruins on the board early with a goal in the first period, then poured it on with two more in the third to push his season total to 13.

Second-line center David Krejci assisted on all three of Smith’s scores.

Sean Kuraly, Bergeron, and Nick Ritchie got in on the goal-scoring action, as well.