After scoring eight goals in their previous game, the Boston Bruins needed only two to finish with a 2-1 overtime victory against the Montreal Canadiens Saturday night at TD Garden. The Bruins scored the game-tying goal, a power-play tally by Jake DeBrusk with 2:45 remaining in regulation, before Brad Marchand scored with 2:54 remaining in OT to win.
Bruins rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy suffered a lower-body injury only 37 seconds into the game and he's unlikely to return, the team announced soon after he was hurt. It appeared he was on the receiving end of a slash by the Montreal Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher. After watching the replay it's clear he never made contact with McAvoy's foot.
McAvoy slowly exited the ice, sat in the tunnel for a minute before a trainer escorted him to the locker room. The Bruins are down to five defensemen and assistant coach Kevin Dean is rotating the pairs.
Pregame notes
Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask is dealing with a minor injury and will not play against the Montreal Canadiens tonight at TD Garden. Backup Anton Khudobin will play his 24th game of the season. Coach Bruce Cassidy said it's nothing serious with Rask, and given the upcoming schedule, it was decided to go with the backup against the Canadiens.
Rask is expected to start again on Tuesday when the Bruins host the Detroit Red Wings. Khudobin is 13-4-4 with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. However, he's 0-4-0 with a 3.54 GAA and a .865 SP in four career games against Montreal.
After sitting out one game as a healthy scratch, rookie forward Danton Heinen returns tonight. He'll return to his spot on the third line with David Backes in the middle and Brian Gionta on the right. Tommy Wingels, who has played well since arriving in Boston via trade, will be the odd-man out.
Defensively, Nick Holden remains in the lineup and Adam McQuaid will be the healthy scratch. Rookie Matt Grzelcyk remains sidelined with a minor injury. He's expected to be back on the ice for practice on Monday, according to Cassidy.
Antti Niemi (4-6-2, 3.53 GAA, .897 SP) is starting for the Canadiens. He's 6-4-0 with a 2.20 GAA, .912 SP and one shutout in 10 career games against the Bruins.
The Canadiens are playing the second game of a back-to-back tonight after earning a 6-3 win over the Islanders on Friday in Brooklyn . . . Alex Galchenyuk, who was playing in his 400th NHL game, notched a hat trick in the victory . . . Karl Alzner has appeared in 604 consecutive games, good for fourth-most among active players . . . Carey Price (concussion) and captain Max Pacioretty (lower body) will both miss tonight’s game . . . Brendan Gallagher leads the team in scoring with 22 goals and 17 assists for 39 points.
Observations from the first period.
- McAvoy goes to the room in some discomfort only 37 seconds into the game.
- With McAvoy out, Brandon Carlo paired with Zdeno Chara.
- Rick Nash keeps his shifts short and efficient.
- I'm not sure how the Bruins didn't score on that. David Pastrnak hits the post.
- Bruins announce that McAvoy suffered a lower-body injury and is unlikely to return.
- Terrible turnover by Kevan Miller and Brendan Gallagher gives the Canadiens a 1-0 lead.
- Miller desperately trying to fix his wrong but having issue managing the puck.
- Surprised that's not a penalty shot. Sean Kuraly strong backcheck but ends with a slashing penalty.
- Let's see if the Bruins can carry over their power-play success (3-for-5) from Tuesday's game against the Penguins.
- Pastrnak has a quality chance on the first shift of period but shoots it wide by a lot.
- That was the best shift of the game for Backes, Heinen and Gionta.
- Riley Nash with a Bergeron-esque defensive play to stifle a possible scoring chance for Montreal.
- Pastrnak is snakebitten this game. Wow another chance he can't convert.
- Huge save by Khudobin on Logan Shaw with 11:12 remaining in the period. Remember that one.
- Entertaining glove stop by Khudobin, but that shot was going over the cross bar. Still impressive though.
- That has to be the latest penalty call I've seen. That was a good six seconds by my watch.
- Huge body check by Noel Acciari on David Schlemko late in the period. Even though Acciari is battling through some sort of injury, he's still effective with his physical game.
- Rick Nash draws a penalty and the Bruins going on their fourth PP. They're 0-for-3 so far tonight.
- Make that 0-for-4.
- Now David Krejci slow to his feet and goes down the tunnel. Team doctor checking him out.
- He's back on the bench.
- Pastrnak keeps his legs moving and draws another penalty.
- Make that 0-for-5 on the PP.
- I normally don't criticize the officials, but they're questionable tonight.
- Brad Marchand misses Patrice Bergeron.
- Pastrnak getting a shift with Krejci and Rick Nash.
- Kuraly is so much fun to watch for his relentless style.
- DeBrusk deserves a goal for the way he's played.
- Krejci is not right. He's laboring a bit.
- Huge power play for the Bruins with 4:35 remaining in regulation and down a goal.
- DeBrusk with the power-play goal with 2:45 remaining to tie the game at 1-1. Nifty redirect.
- Incredible save by Niemi on Rick Nash.
- Going to overtime.
- Not having McAvoy for OT stings.