Final: Bruins 6, Canucks 3

It’s amazing what an almost entirely healthy roster can do for a team. Check that: It’s amazing how confident the Bruins play when Patrice Bergeron is back in the lineup. His return brought balance to the lineup and linemate Brad Marchand played his best game of the season to this point.

It ended with a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at TD Garden.

It also helped that David Backes made his seasonal debut. Unfortunately for the Bruins, they lost David Krejci in the third period due to an upper-body injury. Adam McQuaid also went to the room and never returned after blocking two shots on the same shift.

It was Bergeron's first game of the season and 900th of his NHL career. He added a power-play goal late in the third to give Boston a 6-3 advantage.

This game had absolutely everything. Check back later for a full BSJ game report.



Bergeron has been sidelined with a lower-body injury, while Backes has been battling a serious bout of diverticulitis. With Tuukka Rask sidelined with a concussion, Anton Khudobin started between the pipes (more on his interesting night later).

Forward Kenny Agostino, who was called up from Providence, made his Bruins debut and is on the line with Riley Nash and Backes.

Observations from third period

David Krejci suffered an upper-body injury and will not return. Nash is centering David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk.

McQuaid was taken to the room with 9:37 remaining in the third period after blocking two shots on the same shift. After Sunday's injury, it's impressive he was even in the lineup tonight. The first blocked shot made his uncomfortable, but the second did some serious damage. You could see him grimace face the press box. He's one of the toughest players the Bruins have had in years.

Observations from second period

After leaving the ice in the first period for concussion protocol, Frank Vatrano returned in the second. He showed no ill effects from the hit and he's crashing and banging.

Khudobin is all over the place. Good thing the Bruins have a four-goal lead midway through the second period. Scratch that because that lead is now down to two with 3:20 remaining. It can't be too reassuring for a team when a goalie appears reckless with big lead.

If Charlie McAvoy loses a puck battle he usually still overpowers the opponent and doesn't allow for clean possession, but sometimes it turns into a penalty when he gets beat.

Brad Marchand turned in the snipe of the season to this point. His wrister from the right faceoff circle beat  Vancouver goalie Jacob Markstrom to the short side and high glove. It was an incredible shot. Marchand has been buzzing the entire game. Maybe it's because his linemate is back.

https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/921172474858848256

I was curious to see if Agostino could keep up with the pace. At times, it appeared he was a step behind. He was the best player in the AHL last season and it'll be interesting to see if he can shake the 4-A label.

Observations from first period

Been waiting to see a better compete level from some of the younger players on the team and that was on display in the period. Anders Bjork already has a pair of goals, including a power-play tally. Jake DeBrusk fought off two defenders and won a puck battle along the wall to keep possession in the offensive zone during a power play. Bjork nearly completed the hat trick in the waning minutes of the first period, but he shot wide on a breakaway after leaving the penalty box.

Tim Schaller has been one of the Bruins' best player to start the season. He's been consistent and reliable in every aspect of the game. Vatrano was on the receiving end of a nasty boarding penalty by the Canucks' Erik Gudbranson, Schaller jumped in and dropped the gloves. Vatrano was clearly shaken up on the play and went to the locker room.

https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/921156076795547648

David Pastrnak is so much fun to watch when he's being creative. He also has the ability to slow the game down and his elusiveness baffles the opponent. His unassisted goal is a perfect example of this.

https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/921157354607075328

With Boston holding a 4-1 lead with 9:20 remaining in the opening period, the Canucks made a goaltending change and replaced Anders Nilsson with Jacob Markstrom.

Here are the line combinations and defensive pairings vs. Canucks 

Forwards

Marchand-Bergeron-Bjork

DeBrusk-Krejci-Pastrnak

Agostino-Nash-Backes

Schaller-Kuraly-Vatrano

Defense

Chara-Carlo

Krug-McQuaid

Miller-McAvoy

Goalies

Khudobin

McIntyre