In a matchup of two heavyweight teams, the Boston Bruins finished with a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames Tuesday night at TD Garden.
All the big boys sowed up, and when it was over, the Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron and Riley Nash provided two goals apiece en route to victory. Zdeno Chara added an empty-net goal. It was a physical battle from start to finish at both ends of the ice. It should be even more interesting when these teams play again on Monday in Calgary.
Once again, Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask made the timely saves and finished with 28 saves. The Bruins had allowed seven goals the previous two games and was able to shore up their defense tonight against the Flames.
More pregame notes.
It's a matchup of the two best road teams in the league. While Boston ranks first on the road with a 16-5-4 record, Calgary is second with a 16-6-5 mark in enemy territory. The Bruins have an 18-7-4 record on home ice.
Rask (22-9-4, 2.11 GAA, .924 SP) starts agains the Flames' David Rittich (5-1-2, 2.20 GAA, .927 SP). Rask is 4-0-3 with a 1.61 GAA, a .940 SP and two shutouts in seven career games against the Flames. Rittich is playing in his first career game against the Bruins.
Observations from the first period.
- That was quick. Bruins score on the first shift as Nash gets the goal. Only the third time in 14 games the Bruins scored first.
- Turnovers in the defensive zone have been killing the Bruins of late. Matt Grzelcyk turns the puck over and the Flames capitalize to tie it at 1-1.
- Brad Marchand with a quick poke check on Flames goalie David Rittich after he covered the puck. Calgary's Travis Hamonic takes exception and drops Marchand.
- Sean Kuraly going off for cross checking.
- After the Bruins kill off penalty, Flames' Johnny Gaudreau stuffs one past Rask to give Calgary a 2-1 lead.
- Flames forecheck giving Grzelcyk a tough time tonight.
- Brandon Carlo has been shooting the puck a lot more of late. Needs to keep it going.
- David Backes playing with Bergeron and Marchand. Flames playing a heavy game, so likely Bruce Cassidy wants to match it and protect the top line.
- That means David Pastrnak is with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk.
- Not a smart slashing penalty by Pastrnak while Bruins on the power play. Wouldn't surprise me if No. 88 takes a seat for a shift or two after the penalty expires.
- Out of the box, Pastrnak creates a quality scoring chance.
- Ryan Spooner just had three consecutive shots on the door step but Rittich stopped all three.
- Backes staying on the top line for now. He's got to shoot the puck when he gets an opportunity from point-blank range.
- Pastrnak now with Nash and Danton Heinen. This is the most Cassidy has tweaked the lines in a long time.
- Great shift by the Krejci line and Spooner draws a penalty.
- Rittich is playing well -- really well.
- Great backcheck by Kuraly on that last shift. It results in a Flames penalty and Bruins getting another power play.
- Flames' PK doing a solid job of keeping Bergeron contained from his bumper position on the PP.
- What a great shift by Noel Acciari. Did everything on that shift.
- There's six minutes remaining in the second period and already can't wait for next week's game in Calgary.
- By the book, that's a tripping penalty by Chara on Gaudreau. By size comparison, it's a hockey play.
- Adam McQuaid is clearing out the front of his net with brut force.
- Marchand and Bergeron nearly connected for a shorthanded goal. Marchand couldn't settle the puck.
- What a play by Charlie McAvoy and Tim Schaller. Results in Nash's second goal and ties the game at 2-2 with 3:40 remaining in the period.
- Reactionary glove save by Rask to stifle quality scoring chance by Mark Jankowski with 3:05 remaining. Remember that save.
- And the Oscar goes to . . . Flames goalie David Rittich.
- Bruins begin the period with another shorthanded chance.
- Would love to know what was said during the second intermission the Bruins' locker room. Came out banging and now take a 3-2 lead on Bergeron's power-play goal.
- These game is going to get even more interesting.
- After that hit on DeBrusk, wouldn't be surprised if he's removed from the bench for concussion protocol.
- A tough icing call on Backes, who has played the majority of this game with Bergeron's line.
- An outstanding shift by Bergeron and it ends with his second goal of the game to give the Bruins a 4-2 lead.
- Marchand is a close second to Sidney Crosby when it comes to controlling the puck in tight spaces.
- With the goalie pulled, Chara scores an empty-netter from nearly 200 feet away to give the Bruins a 5-2 lead with 3:46 remaining in regulation.