BSJ Game Report: Canucks 9, Bruins 3 - B’s embarrassed up in Vancouver

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 9-3 loss to the Canucks in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

HEADLINES

For the first time in weeks, the Bruins had a chance to breathe easy as they took to the ice at Rogers Arena on Saturday night. 

Despite winning 11 of its last 12 games, Boston had seen its once hefty lead in the Atlantic Division cut down by the surging Tampa Bay Lightning, who sat just a point behind the B’s just a few days ago. 

But a rare two-game losing skid by the Bolts (including a 7-3 defeat at the hands of the Coyotes on Saturday) and an embarrassing loss for the Maple Leafs against the Hurricanes and a 42-year-old emergency backup goalie gave Boston a prime opportunity to extend its divisional cushion back up to seven points with a win over the Canucks.

But such a scenario quickly crumbled for a gassed Bruins club playing its third game in four nights. Yes, Boston might have been on the second leg of a back-to-back slate, but there’s little excuse for the absolute beatdown the Canucks handed Bruce Cassidy’s club — as Vancouver bested the B’s, 9-3, to snap Boston’s five-game winning streak. 

A sluggish defensive effort allowed a speedy and skilled Vancouver roster to land punches throughout the night against the Bruins, with Tuukka Rask exiting the game in the third period after surrendering six goals on 27 total shots. This marks the first time that the B’s have relinquished at least eight goals in a game since dropping an 8-5 contest to these same Canucks back on Nov. 8, 2018. If you want to look back at the last nine-goal showing? It was back on Feb. 9, 2016 against the Kings. 

While David Pastrnak managed to provide some positives thanks to a two-goal night — sitting atop the league leaderboard in goals scored (45) as a result — Cassidy and his staff might just burn the game film after this one, as just about every skater in Boston’s lineup was on the hook for an ugly goal against and a defensive lapse. 

“On to the next one” will be the mindset for a Bruins club that’s still won 11 of its last 13 games. But on a rare night in which the Lightning looked surprisingly mortal, Boston let a quality chance at building its lead in the Atlantic slip through its fingers. 

TWO UP

David Pastrnak: Pastrnak was one of the few players that provided some positive highlights for the B’s, scoring a pair of goals to build his lead in the race for the Rocket Richard Trophy. Still, a careless turnover from the winger in the opening minutes of the second period did set up Adam Gaudette’s tally at 5:32 — giving Vancouver a 3-1 lead at the time. 

Chris Wagner: Wagner finally got the monkey off his back on Saturday, scoring his first goal in 18 games by following through on his own shot and knocking a rebound past Jacob Markstrom at 8:11 in the third period. 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1231450085030006785

THREE DOWN

Krejci Line: For the second night in a row, Boston’s new-look second line of David Krejci, Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen had a game to forget — with the Canucks tallying three 5v5 goals during that trio’s 7:58 of ice time together. Heinen in particular had a rough night at the office, as he was constantly knocked off pucks and provided poor forward support during the many quality chances that the Canucks managed to generate in the B’s zone. 

Zdeno Chara: While most of the B’s looked awfully sluggish in this one, Chara in particular looked awfully gassed in his third game in four nights — with the B’s captain either caught out of position or failing to clear pucks out of Grade-A areas on four of the Canucks’ nine tallies on the evening. 

Tuukka Rask: Boston’s defensive structure in front of him failed for most of the night, but Rask is far from immune to criticism in this one — as a seeing-eye tally from Troy Stecher opened the floodgates just 4:14 into the game. This marked the first time that Rask has surrendered at least six goals in a game since a 6-5 loss to the Penguins back on Jan. 7, 2018. 

PLAY OF THE GAME

Well, this game was interesting at one point — as David Pastrnak completely undressed Jacob Markström on this breakaway sequence in the first.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1231419636819865600

PARTING THOUGHTS

Charlie Coyle … Bruins enforcer? 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1231441309384220672

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will now return home and practice on Monday at Warrior Ice Arena — just hours ahead of the NHL trade deadline at 3 p.m. Boston’s next matchup will take place on Tuesday night at TD Garden — with the B’s welcoming the Flames. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.