BSJ Game Report: Kings 3, Bruins 2 (SO) - Bruins relinquish 2-goal lead in shootout loss to Kings

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 3-2 shootout loss to the Kings with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

B’s squander multi-goal lead in frustrating loss on home ice: A two-goal contest is far from an insurmountable deficit for an NHL club, but the Bruins had to feel pretty good about their chances on Thursday night at TD Garden.

The Bruins, like every NHL squad, have been prone to some sleepy starts amid this sterling start to the season. But one of the main reasons why the B’s have been able to accrue points at a record-setting pace this year is their ability to snuff out late-game rallies for the opposition. 

And after scoring two goals in quick succession against the Kings in the second period, the B’s seemed poised to snag another two points in the standings — given that Boston entered the night with a 16-0 record when holding a lead after two periods of play.

But, in the first blemish of what has largely been an unspoiled showing from Boston within the friendly confines of its home barn, the Bruins allowed the Kings to creep back into Thursday’s contest — relinquishing two goals in the final frame of regulation before falling in the shootout, 3-2. 

"I actually sensed frustration, to be honest,” Jim Montgomery said following the loss. “I think our first period was okay. I thought our second period started off really well and we started doing a lot of really good things. And then when we got up 2-0, we got away from those things that were giving us success.”

Given hockey’s unpredictable nature, the B’s suffering such a setback was all but inevitable. Still, to lose in the manner that they did — with a slew of costly penalties and an inability to manufacture some breathing room via power-play opportunities — clearly didn’t sit well with many in Boston’s dressing room. 

"At the end of the day, that third period — they, I don't know if they wanted it more,” Taylor Hall said. “Whatever it was. But you're up 2-0, on home ice. It's got to be a win."

THREE UP

Taylor Hall: David Krejci’s return to the lineup after missing the previous two games did bump Hall back down on the third line, but the fleet-footed winger continued to rack up points further down the depth chart — beating Pheonix Copley short side with a snipe at 7:53 in the second. Over his last eight games, Hall has now scored six goals and posted 10 points.

Brad Marchand: It wasn’t exactly a perfect showing from Marchand, who ran into some trouble in the sin bin and was still fighting the puck during 5v5 action. But as Boston’s top left wing continues to shake off the rust and get his game going, Thursday’s snipe on the power play had to have felt good. Also, Montgomery was not taken aback by Marchand’s hot-tempered retorts against a few Kings players — perhaps hopeful that such intensity will bring out more on-ice results for No. 63.

Penalty kill: Yes, Boston did relinquish a 5-on-3 tally to Adrian Kempe at 17:50 in the third that forced overtime. But Boston easily could have been dealt its first regulation loss on home ice if it wasn’t for its shorthanded squad. In total, the Bruins negated five of the six power-play bids for the Kings on Thursday, including a double-minor, high-stick call against Charlie McAvoy in the first period.

THREE DOWN

Charlie McAvoy: McAvoy was once again a horse in terms of minutes (23:56 TOI), but the B’s top blueliner was also whistled for a four-minute penalty for cracking open Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s schnoz down low — and was also late on the rebound bid that Kempe buried to put the Kings on the board in the third.

Power play: Considering that the Kings entered Thursday’s game with the 28th-ranked PK groping in the league, the B’s should have been licking their chops in this one. But besides Marchand’s snipe in the second period, Boston was completely out of sorts on the man advantage — going 1-for-6 in the loss, including a brutal 4-on-3 sequence for over 90 seconds in overtime. 

"I don't think complacency is the right word,” Montgomery said of the power play. “I just saw players not executing to their ability. Our play was sloppy. Our passing was sloppy. On the 4-on-3, we should have gained the blue line pretty easy. And we weren’t.

Penalties: Sure, you can hem and haw about the officiating and what was and wasn’t called on Thursday. But the Bruins made things hard on themselves with far too many infractions in this one, many of which were brought upon by frustration and poor decision-making against L.A.

"We've taken a lot of penalties. ... Tonight, we took a lot of retaliatory penalties,” Montgomery said. “So that usually is some sort of frustration involved — whether it's the game, in the first period, it's eight minutes of special teams. So there's a lot of guys not getting the minutes that they're used to. So it creeps into your game and you're waiting for things to get going and you're not getting in the flow of the game as you usually do.”

PLAY OF THE GAME

LOOSE PUCKS

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will continue their five-game homestand on Saturday when they welcome the Blue Jackets to TD Garden for a matinee matchup. Puck drop is set for 1 p.m.