BUFFALO — The Bruins got on the board early on a Trevor Kuntar goal but didn’t score again in a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday at the Prospects Challenge.

The Habs, whose final goal was an empty-netter, were opportunistic, while Boston failed to take advantage of its chances.

“We had the puck a lot on the outside. There wasn’t a lot of interior play. We completed a lot of plays, made a lot of plays, just couldn’t capitalize. There were some good things and some things obviously that we want to get out of their game before main camp starts,” said coach Ryan Mougenel.

“Playing fast is a big foundation for the Bruins. Guys that are just starting their pro careers are going to learn when you get pucks into good spaces and play fast for each other, that’s where the game is.”

Here are three quick hits from Day Two.

TREVOR KUNTAR

Kuntar had a solid game on Friday but no goals to show for it. On Saturday, he beat Montreal goalie Quentin Miller with a surprise backhander through traffic at 5:41 of the first period.

“I saw that they were giving me a lane to the net so I figured I might as well cut through and put it on net,” said Kuntar, 22, who played three years at Boston College after being drafted in the third round.

Mougenel likes what he’s seen so far.

“I love how he plays. He’s tenacious, he’s inside, he’s got some offensive ability. I think he’s going to be a real good pro. I think he’s one of those players whose game translates real well to pro hockey. I’ve liked a lot of the things that he’s done. He’s a little bit of a dog on a bone. The way the game’s going, guys like that that play hard and inside are at times hard to find. You really can’t win without guys like that.

“He’s a very coachable kid. Our scouting staff’s done a great job of identifying a player who is inquisitive and wants to get better. We’re really looking forward to working with him. (Providence assistant coach) Trent Whitfield thinks very highly of him. Trent’s got a real keen eye for guys whose games translate from the American League to the NHL. That’s real encouraging.”

JOHN FARINACCI

The 22-year-old, signed as a free agent, is finding his way. He played center at Harvard, but he was on the wing on Friday, then back in the middle on Saturday.

“(Friday) was a tough assignment. We put him on the wall just because we have a plethora of centers that we’re trying to get acclimated and he’s one of them, so there’s going to be time on the wall. He’s a natural center for sure. He has good offensive instincts and you saw that at times (Saturday). He’s a player that is smart and plays a certain clean game, efficient in the offensive zone,” said Mougenel.

“I’d like to see him shoot a little more. That’s just from him talking to me, conversations about shooting the puck, getting it off in a hurry. It’s a little bit different than college. Sometimes it’s important to get your shot off and follow it.”

FREDERIC BRUNET

A fifth-round draft pick who is expected to start his pro career in Providence, the 20-year-old defenseman is an exciting player with the puck on his stick.

He is capable of making high-end offensive plays, such as his feed to Brett Harrison for a power play goal on Friday. But his defensive play isn’t at the same level as his offense. He was caught out of position early in the second period on Saturday, leading to an odd-man rush and a goal for Montreal.

“He’s got offensive instincts, in his DNA, which is important. Sometimes it’s hard to put that in a player. We obviously want to encourage the offensive gifts that he has. Then on the other side of it, to defend and have a good stick and end plays before you’ve got to defend it, those are very teachable things. We’re excited about where his growth is. He’s come a long way from where he was last year,” said Mougenel.

“We got a little taste of him (at the end of last season) in Providence. I’ve been impressed with the player. I’ve been impressed with the kid. He’s another one of these kids that wants to get better and asks the right questions.”

The Bruins haven’t signed Brunet yet. Look for that to change by the start of the regular season.

“I expect in the next few weeks we’ll sort through all of that,” said assistant general manager Evan Gold before Saturday’s game.

“I liked his game (Friday). I think his game is trending in the right direction. There’s attributes we really like about the player and I really like the person, from what I know of him so far. All indications are we’ll be in a good spot with Freddy.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Assistant general manager Jamie Langenbrunner on Matthew Poitras:

“My favorite trait is probably his brain. I think he has a good feel for the game. He puts himself in the right spots. He knows where the puck is going. One thing he does really well is play in tight areas. He knows how to make plays out of there and uses his body despite not being the biggest guy.”