The Boston Bruins' power play proved to be crucial en route to a 7-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday at TD Garden. The Bruins scored four goals on the man-advantage with two from David Krejci, while Brian Gionta and Rick Nash added one each. Noel Acciari contributed a shorthanded goal in the win.
The win extends the Bruins' winning streak to six games. These teams beat up on each other today, which makes Sunday's game in Chicago must-see TV.
Pregame notes.
The Bruins will attempt to win their sixth consecutive game when they host the Blackhawks in a matinee game today at TD Garden. Tuukka Rask, who has been dealing with a lower-body injury, will make his second consecutive start. Since these teams play a back-to-back, home-and-home series, backup Anton Khudobin will start on Sunday in Chicago.
Rask is 27-11-4, with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. The Blackhawks are going with J-F Berube, who is 2-2-0, with 3.11 GAA and a .911 SP. Rask is 3-2-1 with a 2.17 GAA and .924 SP in eight career games against the Blackhawks. Berube is playing in his first career game against the Bruins.
Adam McQuaid will be a healthy scratch and Nick Holden will return to the lineup and play the right side with Torey Krug on the left.
Observations from the first period.
- Only three minutes in and the Blackhawks' Patrick Sharp hits the post on a breakaway.
- Brandon Carlo is playing with confidence again. That needs to continue.
- Matt Grzelcyk has a strong ability to break up a play with stick on puck.
- Sean Kuraly and John Hayden drop the gloves.
- Bruins 0-for-1 on the PP.
- Brad Marchand and Anthony Duclair collide away from the play and the Blackhawks forward appears to have injured his leg. Marchand given minor for interference.
- Outstanding effort by Kuraly on his first shift out of the box. Forces a turnover on the PK and creates a breakaway. Initial stop was made but Noel Acciari crashed the net for the rebound and gives the Bruins a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal.
- Blackhawks challenging the goal, looking of goalie interference.
- Call on the ice stands. Boston 1-0.
- Oh, things are getting interesting. Connor Murphy takes out Marchand from behind in the neutral zone and Boston is getting a power play.
- Bruins take a 2-0 lead on a David Krejci power-play goal. Jake DeBrusk won the puck battle in the corner and made the centering pass to Krejci for the goal. However, O-zone entries still struggling.
- The Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews gets credit for Chicago's first goal to cut deficit to 2-1.
- Only 29 seconds later, Blackhawks defenseman Erik Gustafsson scores from the point to tie the game at 2-2.
- Zdeno Chara will a strong stick on this PK. He's shutting down the passing lanes.
- I wanna see Rick Nash take over this period. And, that first shift was a good start.
- Would love to know how hard Rick Nash's wrist shot was right here. He unleashed that thing from the top of the left circle.
- Hayden gives the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead.
- Down 3-2 with 10:05 remaining in the second, the Bruins are going on their third power play. So far they're 1-for-2.
- Another outstanding play by DeBrusk to Krejci for the power-play goal to tie it at 3-3.
- DeBrusk is dialed in today after being demoted to the third line last game.
- Bruins are 2-for-3 on the PP.
- Danton Heinen needs a confidence boost.
- Rick Nash gets beat on the left wall and Matthew Highmore scores his first NHL goal to give the Blackhawks a 4-3 lead.
- Bruins announce the signing of University of Wisconsin forward Cameron Hughes to a three-year entry-level contract, beginning the with 2018-19 season. Hughes will join the Providence Bruins on an amateur tryout agreement for the remainder of the 2017-18 season.
- Blackhawks come out with a strong push to start the period.
- That's the definition of crashing the net. David Pastrnak ties the game at 4-4 with 13:37 remaining.
- Kuraly draws a double-minor high-sticking penalty and the Bruins are getting their fourth PP of the game. So far they're 2-for-3.
- That goal was all Holden. He kept the puck in twice on attempted clears and the Bruins take a 5-4 lead on Brian Gionta's power-play goal.
- On the second half of the double-minor, Rick Nash scores a power-play goal to give the Bruins a 6-4 lead with 10:42 remaining.
- Acciari is having another solid game. Draws a penalty to add to his earlier goal.
- Kuraly added an empty-net goal with 21.3 seconds remaining to complete the Gordie Howe hat trick.