BSJ Game Report: Bruins 4, Rangers 0 - B's dominate New York as Swayman snags another shutout

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 4-0 win over the Rangers in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

HEADLINES

Chalk it up the emotional letdown the Rangers were likely dealing with after a slugfest with Tom Wilson and the Capitals on Wednesday. Or perhaps it was the expected malaise that comes with trudging through these largely meaningless final games of the regular-season docket. Or maybe it was just the fact that the Bruins are that much better than the Blueshirts.

It just might be all three.  But whatever the case was, New York simply didn't have a chance against the B's on Thursday night — as Boston took a first-period lead and didn't look back in what was ultimately a 4-0 victory at TD Garden.

Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk and Brandon Carlo all scored for the Bruins, who closed out the contest with a lopsided 34-15 edge in shots on goal — and a 51-24 advantage in overall shot attempts at 5v5 play. While he didn't face a heavy shot volume, Jeremy Swayman didn't budge in net, stopping all 15 shots that came his way en route to his second shutout in what was just in his ninth career start in the NHL ranks.



(Thanks for playing, New York.)

At this point in the season, all Bruins fans should be looking for are guys avoiding the injury bug and certain questions marks in the lineup hopefully getting answered during these limited reps ahead of the postseason.

Thankfully, the B's achieved both goals on Thursday. Not only were no Bruins banged up in what was largely mop-up duty against a shorthanded and drained Rangers club, but DeBrusk was able to snap a 12-game goalless skid, a second pairing of Carlo and Mike Reilly looked awfully effective and Swayman seems well on his way to shoring up that No. 2 spot on the B's goalie depth chart.

With Boston posting another two points in the standings and the Islanders falling to the Devils in regulation, the B's are starting to build some breathing room between them and the fourth-place Isles — with the B's sitting three points ahead of the No. 4 seed and a game in hand against New York.



FIVE UP

Jake DeBrusk: Man, did DeBrusk need this goal tonight. Obviously it's been far from an ideal season for the B's winger, and it's something that he's been fully cognizant of all year long. Be it his evident on-ice struggles or just the overall isolated atmosphere that players have had to deal with during this COVID-impacted season, it's been a slog all year for DeBrusk — but hopefully he can start building some momentum for the postseason after potting his second-period tally on the breakaway. It was good to see DeBrusk get rewarded in this one, because he'd been playing a very strong game leading up that goal — drawing a pair of penalties and trying to generate looks from Grade-A ice.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1390463157416701953

Charlie McAvoy: Another impressive game from the Bruins' top blueliner — who logged close to 20 minutes of ice time while also getting on the scoresheet with a power-play bomb in the closing minutes of the first period. McAvoy's most impactful play of the evening might have come down the other end of the ice, as he dove to clear a loose puck that took an odd bounce and was sitting in the crease while Swayman was attempting to play it.

Brandon Carlo: It was good to see Carlo — noted offensive dynamo — break through on the scoresheet by banking one off Igor Shesterkin in the third period, but with so few games left to get back up to speed after missing close to two months with both a concussion and later an oblique injury, just seeing Carlo not show much rust in his game is already a huge development for the B's. A second pairing of Carlo and Reilly certainly checked off plenty of boxes for what Bruce Cassidy is looking for on that second grouping — with Boston holding a 26-7 edge in shot attempts during that pair's 18:25 of 5v5 ice time.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1390471686995144704

Top-six unit: Once again, both the Bergeron and Krejci lines feasted against the competition on Thursday, with Boston holding a commanding edge in ...

Shot attempts: 29-10
Shots on goal: 17-7
Scoring chances: 17-3
High-danger chances: 8-1
Goals scored: 2-0

... during those two lines' 24:46 of 5v5 ice time.

Bergeron's first-period tally was the byproduct of Brad Marchand getting four New York skaters to bite and draw attention away from Bergeron on a one-time bomb, with the previous 40 seconds serving as an O-zone clinic with support from the Grzelcyk-McAvoy pairing. Meanwhile, David Krejci notched another two helpers in the win, while Taylor Hall jumpstarted DeBrusk's breakaway in the second by intercepting a point shot and passing the puck over to Krejci for the eventual set-up. Just dominance from Boston's big guns once again.

Jeremy Swayman: Sure, it was only 15 saves, but a shutout is still a shutout all the same. With his second clean sheet in nine games, Swayman stands as just the second Bruins rookie goalie in the past decade to record two shutouts in the same season, joining Niklas Svedberg. Sure seems like Swayman has all but locked down that backup spot behind Tuukka Rask.

ONE DOWN

The Rangers: Boy, have they mailed in what's left of this season. Frankly, this one was over as soon as Boston's top line dissected them on that opening tally. Thankfully, the future is still bright for a young and very talented Rangers team — especially with GM Jeff Gorton still at the helm and ready to take thi- *record scratch*.

Oh - oh no. James Dolan, man.

PLAY OF THE GAME

About as close to a cheat code as one can get. New York just didn't have a chance here.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1390449231819857920

PARTING THOUGHTS

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1390466871095332864

QUOTE OF THE DAY

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1390484783290097669

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will be right back at it on Saturday afternoon with another matchup against the Rangers at TD Garden. Tuukka Rask is expected to get the call in net for the meeting — which is set for a 3 p.m. puck drop.