BSJ Game Report: Bruins 3, Golden Knights 2 - Krejci, DeBrusk lead B’s 3rd-period rally

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 3-2 win over the Golden Knights in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

HEADLINES

David Krejci gives Bruins a much-needed spark:  The Bruins were just three periods away from a much-needed bye week on Tuesday night — and it certainly looked like they could use the R&R, based on how they fared through the first two periods of their matchup against the Golden Knights. 

The home matchup against Vegas had all the fixings of another frustrating loss for Boston. While a reshuffled B’s club struggled to generate sustained 5v5 pressure in the O-zone during the early going, its power play did little to bail the rest of the roster out. 

By the end of the night, the Bruins had only landed three shots on goal and just one measly scoring chance in 10 total minutes of power-play TOI — a pair of damning numbers for a man advantage that has now failed to cash in on its last 16 chances. 

But with Boston in need of a spark in the final period of play, David Krejci — back after missing the previous two games due to injury — ensured that the B’s will enter the break on a high note. 

Krejci capped off a two-goal rally for the Bruins in the third period, batting down a shot from Brandon Carlo and knocking the puck past Marc-Andre Fleury to hand Boston its first lead of the night. 

Krejci, who also assisted on Jeremy Lauzon’s opening tally at 11:40 in the first, led the way for a B’s club that, despite being embroiled in a month-long skid, still enter the bye week with a record of 29-10-12 and first place in the Atlantic Division. 

It hasn’t been pretty for Boston as of late, but with the team in need of a lift, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that a reliable veteran like Krejci chipped in with multiple winning plays. 

Bruins change things up: A few mainstays like Krejci and Jake DeBrusk (game-tying goal in the third) might have orchestrated Boston’s comeback, but far more than just the usual suspects played a hand in Boston’s victory over Vegas. 

Bruce Cassidy opted to switch things up with his forwards and on the blue line Tuesday, calling up Jeremy Lauzon from Providence and inserting Anton Blidh into the lineup. 

Along with Karson Kuhlman (who has tallied three points in three games since returning to the NHL ranks), both Blidh and Lauzon made their presence felt as Boston looks to receive a push from within the organization. 

Lauzon opened the scoring for Boston a seeing-eye blast from the blue line in the first period, while Blidh landed a shot on goal and dished out three hits in just 9:45 of ice time. 

Looking at the big picture, the Bruins are likely still going to need some outside help for the stretch run, but Cassidy’s decision to drum up some internal competition can only help the whole roster going forward. 



THREE UP:

Jeremy Lauzon: While Charlie McAvoy continues to be snakebit when it comes to lighting the lamp, Lauzon made just his second shot on goal of the season count — as his blast from the blue line sailed past Fleury at 11:40 in the first period. Lauzon finished the game with 15:38 of ice time while primarily skating with Matt Grzelcyk.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1219779990151213056

Jake DeBrusk: DeBrusk gave the Bruins the spark they needed in the third period, firing a bullet past Fleury to tie things up just 4:26 into the frame. Hopefully, DeBrusk’s hot streak doesn’t cool down during the break, as the winger is now up to four goals and nine total points over his last eight games. 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1219803089785556994

David Krejci: Krejci chipped in on offense throughout Tuesday’s win, tallying the go-ahead goal in the third while setting up Lauzon’s score off of an impressive forechecking sequence with Karson Kuhlman back in the first. A new-look forward trio of Krejci, Danton Heinen and Kuhlman skated together for 8:45 of 5v5 ice time, with Boston outscoring Vegas, 2-0, and holding a 10-3 edge in shots on goal during that stretch.

TWO DOWN:

Power play: Dating back to the third period of Boston’s 6-5 loss to the Flyers back on Jan. 13, the Bruins have not cashed in on their last 16 chances on the power play. Tuesday’s showing was particularly brutal, as the B’s went 0-for-5 during 5v4 situations against the Knights. 



 Jaroslav Halak: He might have finished with 27 saves on 29 shots, but Halak is likely going to want one of those tallies back. For the second straight home game, Halak surrendered a goal on the opponent’s first SOG of the evening — with Mark Stone scoring off low-danger backhand shot. Yikes. 

PLAY OF THE GAME: 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1219807587237093377

PARTING THOUGHTS: 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1219805009304588288

LOOKING AHEAD: The Bruins will now take some time off as part of the NHL’s scheduled bye week. Bruce Cassidy and David Pastrnak will head to St. Louis this weekend for the 2020 NHL All-Star Game, but the rest of the club will be off the ice until the B’s resume play on Friday, Jan. 31 with a road matchup against the Winnipeg Jets.