BSJ Game Report: Bruins 3, Senators 2 - 2nd-period surge pushes B's past Ottawa

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 3-2 win over the Senators with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

SHORT SHIFT

The Bruins aren’t going to get many brownie points for snatching up two points against a rebuilding Sens club — especially one entering Tuesday night with an already shorthanded crew due to COVID-19 protocols.

But after a stop-and-go start to the schedule and some concerning stretches out on the ice, Bruce Cassidy and his team will certainly welcome a win at this stage of the year.  

Dispute a lackluster start, the Bruins surged back against Ottawa in the second period — lighting the lamp three times en route to a 3-2 win over the Senators. 

Brad Marchand, Derek Forbort and Patrice Bergeron scored for the Bruins, who improve to 6-4-0 on the season.

After an ugly opening frame in which the Bruins surrendered a goal just 1:14 into the contest — and Boston’s power play either hovered in the neutral zone or coughed up turnovers — things picked up in the second.  

The B’s man-advantage finally broke through when David Pastrnak’s shot bounced off Marchand and into twine at 5:12 — while Forbort beat Matt Murray far side near the midway mark in the frame to give Boston its first lead of the evening.

Ottawa tied things up less than three minutes later off an odd-angle shot from Nikita Zaitsev, but Bergeron countered with his fifth goal in his last three games — with the B’s captain corralling a fluttering puck that skipped off a broken stick and promptly snapping it home. 

That was all the scoring that Boston ended up needing — as Boston negated a pair of Ottawa power plays over the final 20 minutes of action to close things out. 

Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 of the 27 shots that came his way in the win. 

FOUR UP

Bergeron Line: The Bruins may not be playing their best hockey in the slightest right now, but if the top line continues to string together performances like this, Boston should still be able to pile up points at a steady clip for the time being. Along with Marchand's power-play tally and Bergeron's go-ahead strike, the Bruins held an 18-5 edge in shot attempts during the top line's 10:16 of 5v5 ice time. 

Nosek Line: An injury to Trent Frederic casts a bit of a shroud over this checking unit, but the Bruins have to be happy with the effort put forward during this revamped trio's limited time together. In total, the Bruins held a 10-2 edge in shot attempts during their 5:58 of 5v5 ice time. 

Penalty kill: The Bruins spent far too much time in the sin bin, but the B's PK at least kept the Senators in check — with Boston going a perfect 6-for-6 on the night against Ottawa's man advantage. 

Charlie McAvoy: He'll get knocked for a couple of early penalties and power-play miscues, but McAvoy played like a man possessed over the final two periods of action — doling out five crushing checks and helping Boston counter a physical Ottawa roster. A pair of helpers aren't too bad, either. 

TWO DOWN

Taylor Hall: He did get an assist on Forbort's goal, but this was a game to forget for Hall — who only logged 11:26 of ice time and was knocked for a brutal turnover that led to Sanford's first-period goal. He was also bumped off the second line in the final minutes of play in favor of Jake DeBrusk.

Third line: DeBrusk earned a late-game promotion up to the top-six, but this new-look third line failed to make much of an offensive impact. Jack Studnicka (0 shots in just 11:02 of ice time) might find himself on the outside looking in at the starting lineup once again. 

LOOSE PUCKS

B’s lose Frederic

The Bruins lost Trent Frederic near the end of the second period, with the cantankerous power forward cracked near center ice off a thundering check from Ottawa D-man Josh Brown. Frederic, who appeared woozy upon returning to Boston’s bench, did not return to the game — with the B’s ruling him out in the third period due to an upper-body injury.

It’s a tough break from Frederic, who was in the middle of one of his stronger games of the season — with the young power forward throwing his weight around on the forecheck and hovering around Murray during a couple of promising shifts.

Still searching for a full 60

Yep, the Bruins might have eventually handled the Senators, but Cassidy and the Bruins weren’t all that thrilled with their start — especially after coming out flat for a majority of Boston’s road tilt with the Maple Leafs on Saturday. 

Whether it be an ugly turnover from Hall on his first shift, sloppy rebound control from Swayman or a lackluster D-zone coverage, Zach Sanford’s opening strike just 1:14 into the contest was a perfect storm of sleepwalking ineptitude to open this one — with the B’s momentum further stifled off some dreadful stretches on the power play.

Bruins should still be happy with the end result, but a team with more firepower (i.e. Connor McDavid and the Oilers) can bury this club in a hurry if it continues to struggle with putting together a full 60-minute effort.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Plenty of worthy candidates here — especially the insane hand-eye coordination from Bergeron on his second-period goal— but we have to go with Murray’s robbery of Pastrnak here. 

PARTING THOUGHT

QUOTE OF NOTE

"I love playing at home. It’s the best arena in the NHL. It’s the best atmosphere you could ask for, so it’s fun coming home and winning in front of these fans." - Jeremy Swayman

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will close out their brief two-game homestand on Thursday with a matchup against McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.