Final: Bruins 4, Blackhawks 2 - Marchand and Geekie both score 2 goals as Bruins win 3rd game in a Row taken at BSJ Headquarters (Bruins)

(Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images)

The Boston Bruins have won their third game in a row defeating the Blackhawks in Chicago 4-2. While it wasn't the most perfect game for the Bruins offensively, Boston took advantage of blunders made from Chicago getting their offensive production from their top 6 forwards.

In the first period, the Blackhawks got the first goal of the game In transition, Ilya Mikheyev pushed the puck into Chicago's offensive zone. After a missed shot from the point, former Bruin Nick Foligno retrieved the puck from the back of the net and dished it out to Alex Vlasic in the slot giving the Blackhawks and early 1-0 lead.

Midway into the period, Morgan Geekie got the Bruins on the board on a second-chance rebound goal. Justin Brazeau found a trailing Geekie in the slot, and Geekie fired a shot into the chest of Mrazek. However, Mrazek wasn't able to hold onto the puck leading to a rebound goal from Geekie.

Early into the second period, the Bruins would take their first lead of the game from their captain Brad Marchand. Curling up the circe, David Pastrnak dished the puck to a trailing Marchand who sniped a one-timer goal into the back of the net. Minutes later, Marchand would then score his second of the night off a backhand rebound goal over the shoulder of Mrazek.

Chicago would get within one goal late in the second period after Jason Dickinson scored on a shot that redirected off of Brandon Carlo and Nikita Zadorov.


However, Boston was able to come out with the victory as Geekie scored his second goal of the game giving Boston the second win of their back-to-back.


A huge reason for Boston's victory came from them being able to win face-offs. For a team that has struggled winning off the draw, the Bruins won 62% of their face-offs which helped them out defensively. The Bruins still need to improve on their power play however. Boston had five power play opportunities in this game and weren't able to score a single power play goal. Nonetheless, a great win and a great game from Marchand, Geekie and Pastrnak.


The Bruins will play their next game Saturday at 1 p.m. to take on the Philadelphia Flyers at home.

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WHO: Bruins (13-11-3) vs Blackhawks (8-15-2)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: United Center, Chicago
TV: NESN
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub

ROSTERS

BOSTON BRUINSCHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
#PosName
6DMASON LOHREI
11CTRENT FREDERIC
13CCHARLIE COYLE
18CPAVEL ZACHA
19CJOHN BEECHER
25DBRANDON CARLO
26CMARC MCLAUGHLIN
28CELIAS LINDHOLM
39CMORGAN GEEKIE
45LCOLE KOEPKE
47CMARK KASTELIC
52DANDREW PEEKE
55RJUSTIN BRAZEAU
63LBRAD MARCHAND (C)
73DCHARLIE MCAVOY (A)
82DJORDAN OESTERLE
88RDAVID PASTRNAK (A)
91DNIKITA ZADOROV
1GJEREMY SWAYMAN
70GJOONAS KORPISALO
#PosName
5DCONNOR MURPHY (A)
8CRYAN DONATO
15CCRAIG SMITH
16CJASON DICKINSON (A)
17LNICK FOLIGNO (C)
23CPHILIPP KURASHEV
25DALEC MARTINEZ
42DNOLAN ALLAN
44DWYATT KAISER
59LTYLER BERTUZZI
71LTAYLOR HALL
72DALEX VLASIC
73LLUKAS REICHEL
77LPATRICK MAROON
78DTJ BRODIE
86CTEUVO TERAVAINEN
95RILYA MIKHEYEV
98CCONNOR BEDARD
34GPETR MRAZEK
40GARVID SODERBLOM

PROJECTED LINES

Boston

Geekie - Zacha - Pastrnak

Marchand - Lindholm - Brazeau

Frederic - Coyle - Kastelic 

Koepke - Beecher - McLaughlin

Oesterle - McAvoy

Zadorov - Carlo

Lohrei - Peeke

Swayman

Korpisalo 

Blackhawks

Hall - Bedard - Bertuzzi

Donato - Kurashev - Teravainen

Foligno - Dickinson - Mikheyev 

Maroon - Reichel - Smith

Vlasic - Murphy

Allan - Martinez

Kaisert - Brodie

Mrazek

Soderblom

PREGAME NOTES

The Bruins will visit the Blackhawks tonight for the first of two games against Chicago. 

The Boston Bruins will have four players represent Team USA at the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off in February.per MassLive.

Hampus Lindholm was left off Team Sweden's roster, which may indicate that the Boston blueliner’s absence could last months and not weeks, as had been previously indicated.