BSJ Game Report: Bruins 7, Blackhawks 4 -- A special (teams) day

Special teams proved crucial for the Bruins en route to a 7-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday at TD Garden. The Bruins scored four power-play goals and added a shorthanded tally. David Krejci scored twice on the man-advantage, while Brian Gionta and Rick Nash added one each. Noel Acciari contributed the shorthanded goal in the win.

"It's the will to win pucks, tire them out and make a play and that's what happened," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassid

The victory extends the Bruins' winning streak to six games.

Everything else you need to know from the Bruins' win in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis. 

HEADLINES



Gordie Howe's in the building: Bruins' Sean Kuraly finished with a goal, an assist and a fight for the Gordie Howe hat trick. The rookie forward was engaged from start to finish and he was rewarded for his efforts with an empty-net goal to complete the "hat trick."

"I'll take it," he said with a bloody smile. "It might be the first one I've ever gotten. You really can't get a Gordie in college, but I'll take it. It's nice."

Winning streak: Even without Patrice Bergeron (foot), Charlie McAvoy (knee) and David Backes (suspension) the Bruins continue to win. With Saturday's victory, the Bruins extend their winning streak to six games. It's impressive because the Bruins haven't played their best hockey and Cassidy explained that to the team between the second and third period.

"We talked about our will to win, and how it's been there the last two weeks, and all year," Cassidy said. "We had it in pockets (tonight) but theirs was greater than ours through two periods."

The Bruins came to life in the final 20 minutes and a lot of that had to do with the success of the power play.

Lighting the lamp: During the team's recent homestand, it scored a total of 30 goals in six games.   However, the Bruins also allowed 14 goals in that span too. Cassidy half-jokingly said he really can't criticize the players too much for deviating from the game plan when they're still winning these marathon-type games.

"We always go back and look at the scoring chances against. Some nights the puck has eyes and your goalie doesn't make the save, or whatever the case may be," explained Cassidy. "If you're giving up much more than we'd like, yes, it becomes a concern.

"This time of the year you're playing teams with different circumstances, so some teams will be loose, some will be tight. Teams that are loose, our guys feels we can win those games, so it's hard to go into the room and say, 'we can't play that way. We've got no chance of winning.' We just won 8-4, 6-5 and now 7-4, so as a coach you want to be honest, but I can't look them in the eye and say, 'we can't win these types of games.' We try to encourage them to play the right way."

TURNING POINT

High voltage: With the game tied at 4-4, the Bruins' Sean Kuraly drew a double-minor, high-sticking penalty on the Blackhawks' Patrick Kane. Boston entered that power play 2-for-3 on the man-advantage in the game. The Bruins capitalized with two more on that double-minor with goals from Brian Gionta and another by Rick Nash for a 6-4 lead. Those timely goals proved crucial. On the Gionta goal, defenseman Nick Holden made two solid plays at the offensive blue line to keep the puck in and that sustained pressure led to the go-ahead goal.

"It's fatigue, right? The other team, first of all, they get discouraged because they can't get it out and then they get tired and that's when mistakes are made and that's when seams open up," Cassidy said of the importance of Holden keeping the puck in. "We've talked about second and third efforts. . . those are the big difference-makers on the power play because the killers get fatigued. It's a tough job to be out there, stopping and starting, blocking shots, so if you're stuck out there for more than 40 seconds you're exhausted and that's what eventually gets you."

THREE UP 

David Pastrnak: Showcased the perfect definition of crashing the net. He was rewarded for that effort with his 24th goal of the season and it tied the game at 4-4 at 6:23 of the third period. Since he had scored only one goal in the previous eight, Cassidy told No. 88 to get to the net more.

"When it doesn't work out with your shot, then go to the net," explained Cassidy. "He's been doing a really good job (going to the net). He's around the crease, and the winning goal by Marchy (in overtime against the Flyers on Tuesday) Pasta's right in there at the top of the crease. He's just doing a better job of getting there and that gave us life and we needed it. We needed something good to happen in the third and that line got us going."

Noel Acciari: Speaking of crashing the net, Acciari finished with a shorthanded goal by doing just that in the first period. On the PK, Kuraly forced a turnover, retrieved the puck and created a breakaway. His initial shot was stopped, but Acciari drove home the rebound on a tough angle to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. He also drew a penalty that led to a power-play goal.

Jake DeBrusk: After being demoted to the third line during Thursday's game, the rookie forward was back with David Krejci and Rick Nash against the Blackhawks. DeBrusk was engaged from the start and proved crucial with three assists on the power play. He was winning puck battles all over the ice and he now has nine points in the last eight games.

THREE DOWN 

Brad Marchand: It's likely that the NHL's department of player safety will review the collision between Marchand and the Blackhawks' Anthony Duclair that occurred 9:45 of the first period. It happened away from the play and both players attempted to avoid each other. For whatever reason, Marchand tried to bring his arms and stick over Duclair and it didn't turn out well. Duclair fell back and his right leg was caught underneath and he suffered a leg injury on the play and did not return. Marchand was given a minor penalty for interference.

"I expect (DoPS) will (review) because it's Brad," Cassidy said. "But when I looked at the replay, it looked like two guys just turning, trying to get the hell out of the way from each other. But it doesn't matter (what I think) because it's what (the league) is going to see -- the referees, the officials. . . I haven't looked at it close enough, but the replay I saw on the bench looked liked incidental contact."

The Blackhawks' Erik Gustafsson didn't like the play.

"It was a dirty play," he said. "Marchand sees him coming and I don’t know if he did it on purpose or not, but Duclair got stuck in his feet when he hit the ice. Looked pretty bad. I don’t know, I haven’t talked to him yet but he’s a good player. Hopefully he’s back soon."

After the game, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said Duclair will likely miss one or two weeks. Marchand has a history and has already been suspended five games earlier this season. He was also fined recently for embellishment.

Marchand said he was attempting to avoid the collision.

"I think it’s pretty clear that I was trying to get out of the way, that he was trying to get out of the way," Marchand said. "Again, I think he twisted up his foot there. You know, it’s tough. Things like that happen in hockey, you never want to see a guy get hurt, We were trying to avoid each other."

Defense: Even though the Bruins are winning, they're not as tight in the D-zone than they should be at this point of the season. There have been too many breakdowns in the slot and the opposition is exposing that area and scoring goals. It's one area the Bruins need to clean up down the stretch.

Danton Heinen: The rookie forward needs a confidence boost.

NOT ON THE SCORE SHEET

Injury update: It's been two weeks since Bergeron suffered his broken right foot, but at this point he hasn't been able to skate and will not travel with the team on the next four-game road trip to Chicago, Carolina, Florida and Tampa.

UP NEXT

The Bruins are in the midst of their 13th of 16 sets of back-to-back games this season. They are 9-3-1 in the first game and 6-4-2 in the second. These teams will play again at 1 p.m. on Sunday at United Center in Chicago.