BOX SCORE
Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 5-4 overtime win over the Kings in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis…
HEADLINES
Patrice Bergeron leads the way: On the day in which the Bruins honored Bergeron for reaching 1,000 career games with the club, the veteran center once again displayed the skills that have made him the engine that drives Boston up front for over a decade. Bergeron’s game-winning tally in overtime on Saturday was just the cherry on top of what was a dominant showing from the No. 37, as Bergeron finished with a 72.22 Corsi For Percentage over 12:36 of 5v5 TOI. During that entire 5v5 stretch that Bergeron was out on the ice, the Kings landed zero shots on goal. Yes, zero shots on goal. Meanwhile down the other end of the ice, Bergeron’s line tallied a pair of goals — while the pivot teamed up with Brad Marchand for a shorthanded tally at 6:49 in the third.
That gives Bergeron 20 goals and 50 total points in just 39 games this season — his 15th campaign with the Bruins. He may not have the highlight reel of more dynamic forwards like Ovechkin and Crosby, but few players can put an emphatic stamp on a game in all three areas of the ice quite like Bergeron.
Bruins continue to let leads slip away:
For the second game in a row, the Bruins let a two-goal lead slip away in the third period — once again, to a team that’s currently out of the playoff picture.
Wednesday’s loss to the Rangers was a disheartening result, but at least some of it could be chalked up to a club playing its third game in four nights, including the second leg of a back-to-back stretch.
There are no excuses for this matchup, against a Kings team with the second-fewest points in the Western Conference — while featuring a minus-14 goal differential in the third period. Out of their last 11 games, the Bruins have blown a lead in 10 of them. Boston might have been able to escape with two points, but they can’t have these leads continue to slip away.
TWO UP
Bergeron line:
So far, so good for Boston’s latest top line. Danton Heinen looked quite alright in his first full game up with Bergeron and Marchand, starting the sequence that led to
Charlie McAvoy’s
opening goal in the second period while later burying a rebound past
Jonathan Quick
as part of a two-point night. Bergeron and Marchand were their usual selves, with the pair teaming up for a shorthanded goal midway through the third period. In total, the group finished with seven points while posting a 5v5 CF% of 76.92.
Charlie McAvoy:
That ill-advised boarding call on Wednesday against the Rangers has marred what has otherwise been some of McAvoy’s best hockey as of late. Over his last six games, McAvoy is averaging over 23 minutes of ice time with two points and a plus-5 rating. After firing just 16 shots on goal through his first 19 games, the young blueliner is now up to 21 shots on goal in his last nine outings — a promising sign for a young player getting more comfortable in the offensive zone.
TWO DOWN
Krejci line: David Krejci, David Pastrnak
Peter Cehlarik
might have put themselves on the board with Krejci’s goal at 4:57 in the third, but Boston’s second line also proved to be a bit of a liability down the other end of the ice. While they finished with a 56.52 CF%, they were also out for three 5v5 goals against. This trio has plenty of potential, but they need to tighten a few things up.
Torey Krug:
He finished with two assists in the win, but Krug also played into Boston’s struggles with defense — especially while the Cehlarik-Krecj-Pastrnak line was out there. Krug was a minus-1 on the night, finishing with a couple of turnovers while screening
Tuukka Rask
on
Oscar Fantenberg
’s tying goal in the final minutes of the third.
PLAY OF THE GAME:
Doesn’t get much better than this no-look, curl pass from Bergeron that led to McAvoy’s first goal since October 13.
PARTING THOUGHT
The Bruins honored
Patrice Bergeron
for reaching 1,000 career games before Saturday’s matchup, with the veteran center receiving a number of gifts from the team before getting a video shoutout from current teammates, former teammates and other Boston sports legends.
Check out the video below:
LOOKING AHEAD
The Bruins will be right back at on Sunday, as the B’s welcome in the Colorado Avalanche for an afternoon matchup at TD Garden. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. Last time these two teams met, Colorado’s impressive top line of
Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon
and
Gabriel Landeskog
combined for three goals and six points in a 6-3 win.
