Final: Rangers 2, Bruins 1 - Bruins lose 2nd consecutive game struggling to score goals

The Bruins lose their second consecutive game on the road falling to the Rangers 2-1. Just like in their game against the Washington Capitals, Boston failed to tie the game in the third period failing to get a much needed goal.

It was a bad first period for the Bruins who saw themselves go down 2-0 going into the first intermission. On the first goal, Nikita Zadorov and Charlie McAvoy collided into each other in the neutral zone resulting in a Minkah Zibanejad tap in-goal for New York.

Three minutes later, Brett Berard sniped a puck past Jeremy Swayman on an odd-man rush giving the Rangers their second goal of the period. 

In the next period, the Bruins made adjustments to their forwards lines which became beneficial for them. Joe Sacco moved David Pastrnak to Brad Marchand and Elias Lindholm's line, and in their first shift together Pastrnak found Lindholm for Boston's first goal of the game.

However, Lindholm's goal was the final goal scored in this game as the Bruins failed to tie the game in the final period. Boston played the majority of the third period in the offensive zone, but Johnathan Quick and strong defense from the Rangers kept Boston at one goal.

Despite outshooting the Rangers, Quick was the better goalie in this contest. The three-time Stanley cup champion made a plethora of highlight-reel saves against Boston saving 32 of 33 shots.

This is another game where the Bruins haven't found a way to produce consistent offense. Even with the mid-game line changes, the Bruins aren't able to get quality shots on the goaltenders they face. Neither team played with physicality or energy, and it seemed as if the Boston played down to New York's level throughout the 60 minutes. The Rangers didn't play their best hockey in this game and the Bruins couldn't take advantage of it.

The Bruins will now travel to Toronto taking on the Maple Leafs on Saturday. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.

___________________________

WHO: Bruins (20-15-4) vs Rangers (16-19-1)
WHEN: 7 p.m.
WHERE: Madison Square Garden
TV: NESN
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub

LIVE BOX SCORE

ROSTERS

PROJECTED LINES

Boston

Geekie - Zacha - Pastrnak

Marchand - Lindholm - Coyle

Koepke - Frederic - Brazeau

Beecher - Kastelic - Wahlstrom

Zadorov - McAvoy

Wotherspoon - Carlo

Lohrei - Peeke

Swayman

Korpisalo

New York

Panarin - Trocheck - Lafreniere

Kreider - Zibanejad - Smith 

Cuylle - Chytil - Berard

Edstrom - Carrick - Vesey

Lindgren - Fox

Miller - Borgen

Vaakanainen - Schneider

Quick

Domingue

PREGAME NOTES

The Bruins travel to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers for the first of three times this season.

Bruins’ interim coach Joe Sacco indicated that the injured defenseman is progressing after seven weeks on the shelf with a lower-body injury. “He’s not skating yet, but he is getting closer to being on the ice,” Sacco said after Thursday’s morning skate.

The New York Rangers placed Igor Shesterkin on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Johnathan Quick will be the starting goalie tonight for New York.