BSJ Game Report: Bruins 3, Coyotes 2 - Coyle’s late goal lifts Boston

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

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES 

Secondary scoring helps Boston vanquish ‘Yotes: 

This Bruins roster might look pretty different in the next week-plus, but I think we can confidently say that the one area of this lineup that shouldn’t be augmented beyond March 21 is the third line of Charlie Coyle, Trent Frederic and Craig Smith.

This bottom-six unit came to the rescue once again on Saturday night at TD Garden, factoring in all three goals that Boston scored en route to a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes.

For all of the question marks surrounding both Coyle and Smith’s chemistry — as well as Frederic’s viability as anything more than a fourth-line grinder — this line has put it all together as of late, with Smith’s scoring salvo (seven goals in five games) allowing them to land punches early and often.  

Coyle was the one that ultimately saved the B’s from a potential overtime bout against the ‘Yotes, beating Karel Vejmelka with a nifty backhand shot off the rush with just 3:21 left in regulation — breaking a 2-2 deadlock and capping the scoring on the night.

With the win, the Bruins are now 9-1-1 in their last 11 games, and have now won an absurd 18 games in a row (!) against the Coyotes. Boston’s last loss against Arizona came all the way back on Oct. 9, 2010 in Prague — the season opener of an eventually fruitful campaign for the B’s. 

Chychrun exits: With Jakob Chychrun standing as one of the top targets rumored to be out on the market this deadline season, this bears watching moving forward. The Coyotes’ franchise blueliner ultimately logged just 5:51 of ice time on Saturday, with a heavy check into the boards from Derek Forbort forcing him from the game due to a lower-body injury.

As I noted earlier this week, I still don’t think the Bruins are really viable players in a potential sweepstakes for Chychrun, considering the fact that the cost to acquire him is reportedly astronomical. Still, it’d be a pretty major domino to fall if Chychrun is banged up and forced to miss time with a little over a week to go until the trade deadline. 

THREE UP 

Charlie Coyle: Coyle provided the heroics with his slick backhand tally in the closing minutes of the third period, but the big-bodied pivot was on his game all night long. This third line could have buried a few more chances, considering the amount of time that Coyle extended O-zone possession by playing keep-away with the biscuit. 

Craig Smith: It hasn’t been the strongest (and especially the most consistent) season for Smith so far in 2021-22, but the veteran winger is making the most of the current heater. Smith is now up to seven goals in his last five games. With Smith’s shots finding twine early and often, this third line is finally cashing on its chances.  

Jeremy Swayman: The rookie netminder still needs to clean up a few things in his game — especially his knack for overcommitting on some wraparound bids for the opposition — but Saturday was largely a return to form for Swayman after a couple of so-so outings. That Nick Ritchie tally early in the third period was the byproduct of a juicy rebound, but Swayman also put out plenty of fires due to some timely stops.

This game could have easily gotten away from the B’s had it not been for Swayman robbing both Phil Kessel and Nick Schmaltz during a Coyotes power play in the second period. 

TWO DOWN

Closing out periods: Well, at least the Bruins relinquished a last-second goal in the second period instead of the third this time around. Still, coughing up a tally with just 0.06 seconds to go until intermission was a backbreaker, and gave Arizona plenty of juice entering the final stretch of regulation. Just an ugly sequence all around, with plenty of failed clears and self-inflicted D-zone miscues.

Brad Marchand: Boston’s top line still had plenty of chances in this one, but this sequence is going to haunt Marchand for quite some time. He’s still been productive in terms of racking up assists, but Marchand has actually been limited to just three goals in his last 17 games. 

PLAY OF THE GAME

LOOSE PUCKS

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will now head back out on the road for a four-game trip — starting with a matchup against the Blackhawks in Chicago on Tuesday night. Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m.