Holy shit, that’s how you win a hockey game. The Bruins roared back from down 3-1 to get the W in OT 4-3. Paced by Pastrnak’s hattie and Bergeron’s 6th on the year; the B’s take the first of a pair against the Flyers.
Building off their comeback win against the Caps on Monday, the B’s came out and dominated Philly in the first. The Flyers had more turnovers (9) than they did shots on net (8). The most offensive thing Philly had going was their dirty muppet mascot posing for a “nude” painting. There’s not enough sani-wipes in PA to clean off that couch.
Pasta got it going 12 seconds into the game when he walked Gostisbehere and put one on net that was knocked in by Provorov; 1-0 good guys. The tone was set and the Bruins carried the play for the entire first period. Rask had a relatively quiet opening set, but you could tell he was on it tonight. Squared up on his angles to shooters, confidently out to handle the puck and he was huge keeping the door shut at the end of the period when Philly finally got some pressure going in the Bruins’ end.
Anton Blidh was in for Karson Kuhlman but otherwise the lines were held over from last game. Freddy and the Kings? (give me a break I’m workshopping a name for that line: Coyle and Wagner are former South Shore Kings) made their presence felt once again, but it was the line of Krecji, Ritchie and Smith that dominated play. Krecji’s ability to find quiet spots on the ice is nothing less of extraordinary; with Ritchie being the big body and Smith being the shooter; this line has the potential to be lethal during 5 on 5 play. Nice bit of having your teammates back: Aube-Kubel was running around (as is his job) and Ritchie took exception to a few hits on Krecji. They exchanged some jousts and had some conversation at the end of the first, that should bear watching when the teams meet again on Friday night.
The second was a bit sloppier for the Bruins, as the Flyers got it going with more of a North/South game and capitalized when Mass-hole Kevin Hayes got the Flyers to even. The play was suspect as Hayes chopped McAvoy’s stick in half and got away with what is normally a minor only to get lost in coverage before putting the puck in off Rask’s glove. Not the best period for McAvoy where he had a few turnovers that (luckily) the Flyers didn’t convert. This is no knock on McAvoy however, this speaks to his skill level and potential. There are times when he’s out there that it looks as if he’s trying things to see what he can get away with and what he can’t. Sometimes this leads to turnovers, more often than not it turns into highlight reel plays. The talent level on him is unreal. Maybe Don Sweeney knew what he was doing (and what he had) after all when he let Chara go? McAvoy is a stud. The Bruins lineage is preserved: Orr to Bourque to Chara to McAvoy.
The young D corp had a tough go of it in the 3rd. On the fresh sheet in the opening minutes, Voracek got lost in coverage by Zboril behind the Bruins’ net and put one in short side to up the Flyers lead. Just after the midway mark of the period Farabee got the Flyers’ to 3 with a laser over Rask’s glove. McAvoy pinched and JVR poked the puck ahead to Laughton to send him and Farabee away with only Zboril back to defend, 3-1 Philly. All of a sudden it was looking like Kate Smith time in the City of Brotherly Love.
The Bruins got one back on the PP with a pretty tic-tac-goal with Bergy finding Pasta back door to go bardown over Hart’s stick, 3-2 Flyers. Lauzon took a dumb holding penalty with less than 5 minutes to play, (I told you, the B’s young D corp had a tough 3rd period), but Rask stood tall and kept the B’s within a goal. “Hold my beer” said Hayes to Lauzon as he took an EVEN DUMBER penalty at the 2:01 mark to put the Bruins power play unit back on the ice. (Do you sense a disturbance in the force?) With Rask pulled for an extra skater, Pastrnak put the finishing touch on his 9th career hat trick with less than 15 seconds in regulation to knot the game at 3.
You can see how this is going to end don’t you? With 2.8 seconds left in a tie game and with all momentum on the Bruins’ side; Laughton took a horrible (and to be honest, borderline) call for interference. So we head to extra hockey with the B’s on a 4 on 3 power play. When you see Bergeron, Pastrnak, Marchand and Krecji come over the boards I don’t care who you are, your butthole tightens. It’s the Erection line with a side dish of Krecji. Pasta with a slap pass to Bergy and 31 seconds later it’s over. Silly Ivan, you can’t give Bergeron two whacks at a puck with the game on the line.
These resilient beauties are currently in first place. Both teams back at it again on Friday night.
Plus/Minus
Plus
- Nick Ritchie. It’s taken me awhile to come around on him, and I’m not completely sold just yet, but he’s been (gulp) good with Krecji
- Tuukka Rask. Didn’t see a lot of shots early but was sharp. Had no chance on the goals scored.
- David Pastrnak. Guy is a weapon. Back 3 games and has 5G and 2A. Just want to make sure, is that good?
Minus
- Defensive breakdowns. This may be up here quite a bit, there’s going to be growing pains
- Let the Flyers back in the game during the 2nd period. Got to put teams away.
- Rare night that the B’s didn’t dominant the face-off circle
Game Notes
- Nice touch for the Flyers to host a frontline worker and family for the game. Hope they do this every home game.
- Flyers reverse retro sweaters are sweet. No longer look like they’re wearing prison issue orange.
- Nice intermission piece on NHL-wide support for recently injured Bishop Feehan (high school) player AJ Quetta. Players from all teams are donating warmup sticks and game jerseys to be auctioned off to support the Quetta family. Nobody comes together better than hockey to support each other. You can find items here: BruinsAuctions.org
The Morning Skate 