BSJ Game Report: Canucks 2, Bruins 1 (SO) - Swayman stands tall, but B’s can’t solve Demko

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Canucks with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

SHORT SHIFT

Jeremy Swayman put together another strong outing between the pipes for Boston — but down the other end of the ice, the B’s had an equally tough time solving Vancouver netminder Thatcher Demko on Wednesday night.

Despite landing 36 shots on goal against Demko, the former BC product stood tall for his club — with Boston ultimately coming up short, 2-1, in a shootout loss to the Canucks.  

Patrice Bergeron scored the lone goal of the evening for the Bruins, who fall to 12-8-2 on the season. Swayman stopped 31 of 32 shots in the loss for the B’s.

After a largely uneventful opening 20 minutes, the B’s appeared to draw first blood in the middle frame, with Erik Haula besting Demko after a nifty set of dangles in Grade-A ice. However, Vancouver immediately challenged for offside, with the subsequent video review wiping Haula’s tally off the board. 

An interference call against Brad Marchand later in the second opened the door for the Canucks to retort, with Brock Boeser lighting the lamp at 15:01 to make it a 1-0 game. 

Two penalties called in quick succession against Juho Lammikko and J.T. Miller allowed Boston to secure the equalizer, with Bergeron tipping a shot from David Pastrnak past Demko at 4:51 in the third period. 

Bergeron’s ninth goal of the year eventually forced overtime — in which both Swayman and Demko turned aside a slew of Grade-A chances to drag the game into a shootout. In the extra frame, both Pastrnak and Charlie Coyle failed to convert on their chances, while the Canucks scored twice to secure the two points.

TWO UP

Jeremy Swayman: Swayman was outstanding down the stretch for Boston in this one, especially in overtime. In total, Swayman has turned aside 94 of the last 98 shots that have come his way, and has raised his save percentage up to .922. 

Patrice Bergeron: The lone conduit of offense for Boston on Wednesday, Bergeron buried his ninth goal of the season (while wearing a fishbowl, no less) to help Boston secure at least a point in the standings.

TWO DOWN 

Second Line: Just absolutely nothing cooking with the Coyle line in this matchup, with the Canucks holding a 29-9 edge in shot attempts and a 13-3 advantage in shots on goal during Coyle’s 13:57 of 5v5 ice time. Another top-six impact player is needed to push a few guys further down on the depth chart.

Taylor Hall: The second line left a whole lot to be desired, but Hall was downright dreadful in this one – landing zero shots on goal in his 14:38 of ice time. Eventually, Hall was yanked down to the third line, with Haula earning a few top-six reps.

LOOSE PUCKS

We’ll be covering some of the usual issues that have plagued the Bruins in these losses (yep, a dearth of 5v5 scoring rears its ugly head) in our full column. But beyond that, another concerning trend also sprouted up again when it comes to the lack of pushback when Bergeron has been knocked around.  

We noted it last Thursday after no one stepped up for Bergeron after the captain broke his nose against Nashville — and it continued again on Wednesday, with next to no response after Kyle Burroughs appeared to catch Bergeron up high in his face shield. 

Sure, it was a 1-1 game in the third and you don’t want to take a penalty, but I’m not looking for a guy to goon it up and create a line brawl out there. But no punishing forecheck or message-sending hit in the immediate aftermath?

Disappointing. 

PLAY OF THE GAME

PARTING THOUGHTS

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will be right back at it tomorrow with another matchup — this time against Connor McDavid and the Oilers. Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. on Thursday night from Rogers Place.