The Boston Bruins erased a two-g0al deficit in the third period en route to a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night at Rogers Place. David Krejci scored the game-winning goal with 1:04 remaining in regulation.
The Bruins conclude their 11th of 14 back-to-back games tonight in Edmonton. Boston is 8-2-1 in the first game and 6-3-2 in the second game.
Bruins goalie Anton Khudobin is 6-1-2 in his last nine starts.
Observations from first period.
- Bruins need much of the same from Monday's 2-1 OT win against the Flames.
- Good to see David Backes going to the dirty areas early. He's been a bit off of late.
- Almost forgot how much fun it is to watch Milan Lucic play.
- Too much running around in its own end for Boston.
- After the line of Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci and Ryan Spooner create a relentless forecheck, win the puck battles, gain control of the puck and make a tape-to-tape pass back to the point, Brandon Carlo needs to do something better with the puck than just dump it back in the corner, especially when he has time and space. Get it on net.
- Again, Patrice Bergeron has reached a new level when it comes to the stick check.
- Now Bergeron draws a penalty and the Bruins get the first power play of the game.
- Boston enters this game 2-for-23 in the previous eight games on the power play.
- Both DeBrusk and Krejci are due.
- Solid defense play by Charlie McAvoy and Zdeno Chara to stifle Connor McDavid on that last rush.
- The Oilers get on the board first during a four-on-four situation for a 1-0 lead.
Observations from second period.
- That's a perfect example of Khudobin controlling the rebound and helping the breakout with a blocker save.
- Only a minute into the period, the Bruins get a power play after a delay-of-game penalty by Edmonton.
- Thankfully, the Bruins have ignored the delayed entry on the power play.
- That's a sick shot by Pastrnak, but it hits the outside post.
- Due to the long change, the Oilers create more than two minutes of sustained O-zone attack. Bruins fight it off and finally get a change and a whistle.
- Matt Grzelcyk has gone 36 games without a goal. It's not his job to score but he's had plenty of opportunities. Just can't finish. Hits the post on the last rush.
- Caught at the end of a long shift, Sean Kuraly unable to pick up his man on the backcheck and the Oilers gain a 2-0 lead.
- Spooner sold that slashing penalty and the Bruins get a power play.
- Huge save by Khudobin on McDavid. What a stop.
- Carlo has been giving an all-out effort of late. Defensive core understands Kevan Miller is healthy and ready to return.
Observations from third period.
- Bruins need to find the finishing touch in this period.
- And there's an example right there with Danton Heinen not finishing off a quality scoring chance.
- He's been on the doorstep the last two games, but Noel Acciari finally gets a bit of puck luck as his wrap-around attempt redirects off a defender's skate and in to cut Boston's deficit to one. It's his seventh goal of the season.
- Good defensive layers by the Bruins this period.
- Outstanding puck support by Grzelcyk to help partner Adam McQuaid.
- Like I said, Grzelcyk was due and he finishes off a tremendous offensive attack to tie the game at 2-2. It's his first goal in 37 games.
- Huge effort by the Bruins to erase a two-goal deficit. That was also an outstanding no-look, behind-the-back pass by Riley Nash to Grzelcyk for the goal.
- Another great example of what secondary scoring can do for a team.
- Most of the elite talent in the NHL this season has dominated McAvoy. Tonight, however, the rookie defenseman has done a tremendous job against McDavid.
- With 1:04 remaining in regulation, David Krejci gives the Bruins a 3-2 lead. Outstanding play by Backes to create that goal.
- Big kill needed by the Bruins. And Boston gets it en route to victory.
Here are the projected line combinations and defensive pairings vs. the Oilers.
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Defense
Goalies