BSJ Game Report: Red Wings 5, Bruins 3 - Early hole costs Bruins against Red Wings

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, with BSJ insight and analysis…

BOX SCORE 

HEADLINES

Boston can’t complete comeback: The Bruins nearly clawed back from a 4-0 deficit, but the comeback bid ultimately fell short in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena to close out the home-and-home.

David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist for Boston (50-10-5), and Matt Grzelcyk and Jake DeBrusk each scored. Jeremy Swayman made 21 saves.

Dylan Larkin picked up a goal and two assists for Detroit (30-27-9). Moritz Seider (1g, 1a) and Lucas Raymond (2a) each had two points, and Ville Husso made 30 saves.

Chiasson picked up his second power-play goal of the weekend against the Bruins to make it 1-0 with 7:38 left in the first, potting a rebound to the side of the net after Swayman saved Larkin’s shot.

Seider made it 2-0 with a shorthanded goal early in the second. Pastrnak turned it over at the blue line, and Seider went the other way, finishing a forehand-backhand move.

Larkin capitalized on the power play with a wrister from the high slot, and Adam Erne made it 4-0 when he put in the rebound after Jonatan Berggren’s shot rang both posts.

Grzlecyk put the Bruins on the board with 3:08 left in the second, jumping onto the play off the bench and roofing a wrist shot off a cross-ice pass from Pastrnak. 

DeBrusk cut it to 4-2 just 3:37 into the third. DeBrusk chipped the loose puck past Seider at the blue line before turning on the jets on the breakaway and roofing a wrist shot. Pastrnak made it 4-3 when his wrist shot from the distance found a way through Husso. 

Boston pulled Swayman for the extra attacker with 2:23 left, but the late push for a tying goal fell short as Adam Copp iced it with an empty-netter with 24 seconds left for the 5-3 final. 

THREE UP

Marchand-Bergeron-Bertuzzi: Jim Montgomery shuffled his lines midway through the game, yielding one of Boston’s most effective trios at 5-on-5. They led all line combinations with a Corsi-for of 78.57 percent and held an 81.5 percent share of expected goals.  

Jake DeBrusk: The winger ended a seven-game goal drought, giving the Bruins life in the third period. It was an instance that showcased one of his greatest assets, using his speed to break free. He quietly had a strong outing on the whole, as Boston out-attempted Detroit 25-9 at even-strength with No. 74 on the ice.

Grzelcyk-McAvoy: The familiar duo was reunited, and they were Boston’s two best defensemen. Grzelcyk came up with the goal to start the comeback bid before a nice regroup in the neutral zone, restarting the rush ahead of Pastrnak’s goal. McAvoy got it done on both ends of the ice. He led the Bruins with 22:02 of ice time, was physical with two hits, and had two takeaways as well as four shots. Boston outscored Detroit, 3-0, with McAvoy on the ice at 5-on-5. 

THREE DOWN

The penalty kill: The Bruins had no answer for the Red Wings' power play this weekend. Boston gave up a ton in the middle of the ice and around the net, see: Chiasson’s goals this weekend and Larkin’s tally on Saturday. The B’s failed to adjust for Larkin in the bumper position in the two games, and he made them pay. 

The power play: Boston’s power play is still struggling, and it surrendered shorthanded goals in two straight games. They’re now 1-for-9 in the last three games, and 6-for-57 in the last 18 contests. The Bruins have also given up the fourth-most shorthanded goals in the league this season (six). 

David Pastrnak: Pastrnak may have had the goal to cut it to 4-3, but his mismanagement with the puck cost the Bruins dearly in the second. No. 88 took a pass standing still inside the blue line off the rush, and it was easy for Seider to strip it and break free. Boston has been far too casual with the puck, and Pastrnak’s turnover was the perfect encapsulation.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Seider is one of the league’s bright, young defensemen. He’s stout defensively, blocking the fourth most shots in the league, but proved he has some finesse to his game with his shorthanded breakaway. 

LOOSE PUCKS

Tomas Nosek channeled his inner WWE with the takedown of Jordan Oesterle in the first period.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins are back at it in Chicago on Tuesday. Puck-drop is set for 8:30 p.m. ET against the Blackhawks at the United Center.