Boston Bruins Season Chatter 22/23

[Holymakinaw]

You know I live on a hill, and sometimes after it snows it'll turn to freezing rain, so you'll get this thin, pristine layer of ice on top of the snow. When I take my dog out to do his business he doesn't really enjoy going in inclement weather but obviously he can't hold it forever. Peeing isn't made tougher by it really, but obviously the turds can move around especially when he's trying to walk away because it's not in the snow, it can just glide around on that top level of ice. If he poops on steeper part of the hill, sometimes the craps will just take off and go sliding down the hill like a little turd rocket lol.

 

Anyway all this is to say I have literally seen turds move across a sheet of ice faster than Derek Forbort skating back into his own zone to touch up an icing.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Holymakinaw

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 27

 

Bos 3 VGK 1

 

Bruins beat Golden Knights 3-1 in battle of division leaders

 

 

---

ByAP

Updated: 7 hours ago

 

LAS VEGAS -- — Jake DeBrusk scored early in the third period to put Boston ahead for good, and the Bruins beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 Sunday in a matchup of division leaders.

 

DeBrusk's shot, which came on a terrific pass from Pavel Zacha over sliding Vegas defenseman Alec Martinez, put the Bruins in front 2-1 at 2:10 of the final period. Zacha was on the second line in place of center David Krejci, who did not play because of a lower-body injury and is expected to return Tuesday against the New York Islanders.

 

“When I saw J.B. coming back door, (Martinez) tried to slide down, and I was able to make a play and find him there,” Zacha said.

 

Charlie Coyle's goal with 9:04 left extended the Bruins' lead to 3-1.

 

Patrice Bergeron also scored for Boston and Linus Ullmark stopped the final 30 shots to improve to 16-1. The only goal he allowed came on Vegas' first shot of the game.

 

“You just focus on the next puck, always,” Ullmark said. “That's the focus. You can't change what just happened. Just keep moving forward.”

 

The Bruins, who lead the Atlantic Division, split the season series with the Pacific-leading Knights. The teams met Monday in Boston as Knights coach Bruce Cassidy faced his former team for the first time in Vegas' 4-3 shootout victory. He coached the Bruins the previous six seasons, taking them to the playoffs each year.

 

Boston improved to 11-1-1 against Western Conference teams.

 

Mark Stone scored for Vegas and Logan Thompson had 24 saves.

 

“The compete level was high from start to finish,” Cassidy said. “We were ready. When you get into those type of games with a team as good as Boston with all the depth they have, the margins become slimmer when you're missing some of your guys who are difference-makers.”

 

The Knights entered this game down their leading scorer and two defensemen, and then defenseman Zach Whitecloud appeared to injure a knee early in the second period. Cassidy said he didn’t have an update on Whitecloud.

 

Stone put Vegas in front 1-0 just 4:04 into the game, taking a pass from Chandler Stephenson and easily stuffing the power-play goal into the net. The Bruins entered the game with the league's best penalty kill, and this was the 15th power-play goal they have surrendered on 100 attempts.

 

Boston killed the three remaining Knights power plays.

 

The teams combined for just 11 shots on goal in a chippy opening period between clubs that play each other only twice a season. They came to near blows five times in the first 20 minutes.

 

Boston came out strong in the second period, taking the first nine shots on goal. The Bruins tied it 3:55 into the middle period when David Pastrnak put a pass on Bergeron's stick in the slot for the point-blank shot.

 

Those two players began the game on separate lines, but Bruins coach Jim Montgomery played them together in the second period as an overall shuffle after Boston had just six shots on goal in the first.

 

“Sometimes you just get a feel it's going to be a tight game,” Montgomery said. “If you think you have the best players, you should put them together and let them win it for you.”

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 28

 

Bos 4 NYI 3

 

Bruins' DeBrusk, Pastrnak score in shootout to beat Isles

 

 

0:18

 

David Pastrnak nets shootout goal to win it for Bruins

David Pastrnak connects for the winning shootout goal to defeat the Islanders 4-3.

---

ByAP

7 hours ago

 

BOSTON -- — Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak each scored in a shootout to give the Boston Bruins a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

 

DeBrusk also had two goals and an assist in regulation, and Linus Ullmark stopped 23 shots for Boston, improving his record to 17-1. The Bruins are 15-0-1 at TD Garden, including the NHL-record 14 straight victories to open a season at home that was halted last week.

 

“They definitely took it to us that first period,” Boston defenseman Derek Forbort said. “Linus kind of held us in there. I thought we got pretty lucky that we got two goals out of it. We kept grinding and we found a way.”

 

Casey Cizikas, Josh Bailey and Noah Dobson each had a goal for the Islanders, and Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves before the shootout.

 

“We started the game, we find ourselves down two,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “For us to climb back and go to the third being down, coming away with the point was a good job by our guys.”

 

After Pastrnak beat Varlamov under the crossbar, Ullmark dropped and stopped Bailey’s bid to end it.

 

Coming off a 2-1 West Coast trip, the Bruins had jumped to a 2-0 edge when DeBrusk scored his two goals 19 seconds apart in the opening period before the Islanders rallied to tie it.

 

“This is the game it looked like we were set up to fail,” Boston's first-year coach Jim Montgomery said of playing after a long trip. “Everybody goes through it, there's a couple of games every year where it looks like you should have success and there's games where it looks like it's going to be a real battle. We were sluggish in the first, probably our worst period of the year.”

 

DeBrusk also set up Forbort’s first career short-handed goal when he moved the puck quickly up the right wing and made a nice drop pass to Pavel Zacha, who centered it to a charging Forbort. The veteran defenseman fired a rising wrist shot that beat Varlamov into the upper right corner, pushing Boston ahead 3-2 late in the second.

 

But New York tied it again early in the third when Cizikas spun around the net and tucked the puck in off Ullmark’s body.

 

“We know what we have to do to succeed,” Cizikas said. “We did a good job. We kept the puck in and we kept getting it to the net. ... Overall, we played a really good game.”

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 29

 

Bos 2 LA 3 SO

 

Moore scores shootout winner and Kings win in Boston 3-2

 

 

0:33

 

Trevor Moore scores shootout winner for Kings on the road vs. Bruins

Trevor Moore scores shootout winner for Kings on the road vs. Bruins

---

ByAP

Updated: 6 hours ago

 

BOSTON -- — Adrian Kempe scored twice in the third period to rally Los Angeles from a two-goal deficit and Trevor Moore scored in the seventh round of the shootout to give the Kings a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

 

It was just the second loss at home for the Bruins all season.

 

“That's a lot of character, coming back from down by two and pulling it off in the third and then the shootout,” said Kings goalie Pheonix Copley, who stopped 33 shots in regulation and overtime and the last five of the tiebreaker.

 

“We could have easily packed it in down by two. Everyone knows these guys are good at home,” he said. “Being able to push through and keep working until we were able to find a way, that’s huge.”

 

The Kings had lost two in a row and 10 of their previous 15 games, including a loss in Buffalo on Tuesday night in which they gave up six third-period goals. They return home from a six-game Eastern road swing having gone 3-2-1.

 

“There wasn’t a single individual happy with what happened in Buffalo the other night,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “So it was a good opportunity for us to answer, and reveal the character that I think is in that locker room.”

 

Taylor Hall and Brad Marchand scored in the second period to give Boston the lead, and Linus Ullmark made 28 saves for Boston. But Kempe tied it, scoring the second on a 5-on-3 power play with 2:10 left in regulation.

 

Both teams scored on their first two attempts of the shootout before David Pastrnak, Marchand, David Krejci, Hall and Patrice Bergeron missed five in a row for Boston. The Kings missed four straight before Moore came right down the middle and shot it under Ullmark's glove for the winner.

 

“Not an easy building to do it in. Not an easy way to end a trip — a long trip," McLellan said. “But we're pleased with it.”

 

The Bruins almost had an early goal when a shot trickled through Copley's pads and Kings forward Carl Grundstrom cleared it out of the crease before it could cross the goal line.

 

Boston did score in the second when, on a delayed penalty 6-on-5, the puck made its way to Hall and he wristed it inside the post on Copley's stick side to make it 1-0. About two minutes later, Marchand took a pass from Pastrnak and put his wrister under the crossbar to make it 2-0.

 

The Kings pulled within one when Kempe banged home a rebound with 11:31 left in the game.

 

BACK FOR MOORE

 

Moore agreed to a contract extension worth $21 million that would keep him in his native Southern California through the 2027-28 season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer after making $1.875 million this season.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 30

 

Bos 4 CBJ 2

 

NHL-best Bruins honor Patrice Bergeron; beat Columbus 4-2

 

 

1:49

 

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Boston Bruins: Full Highlights

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Boston Bruins: Full Highlights

---

ByAP

Updated: 11 hours ago

 

BOSTON -- — David Krejci scored a go-ahead, power-play goal and the Boston Bruins remained unbeaten in regulation at home with a 4-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

 

David Pastrnak also had a power-play goal, Taylor Hall scored on a delayed penalty and backup goalie Jeremy Swayman, wearing new dark-tan pads, made a season-high 30 saves for Boston.

 

The NHL-best Bruins honored captain Patrice Bergeron for reaching 1,000 career points last month during an on-ice pregame ceremony.

 

“Never mind the Hall of Fame player he is, he's a Hall of Fame person and leader,” Boston's first-year coach Jim Montgomery said. "So much so that after the first I was not happy with the team. I was not very happy in between periods when I addressed the team. The second period had no impact.

 

“I said to Bergy with 40 seconds left in the second that: ‘It’s your dressing room.' I just hope he doesn't want to be a head coach," Montgomery said, smiling. "We came out and played our best period.”

 

Boston improved to 16-0-2 at TD Garden, with both losses coming in a shootout.

 

“I can't say it's always just me,” Bergeron said, downplaying his talk to the team. “I think there's a lot of guys that are vocal. I think you need that. ... Obviously, voices matter and is important, but I think your actions speak louder sometimes.”

 

Boone Jenner had a power-play goal, Patrik Laine scored and Daniil Tarasov stopped 35 shots for Columbus, which has lost three straight and six of eight.

 

Krejci's go-ahead goal late in the second was a bit of redemption. Columbus had tied the game 1-all while he was in the penalty box for high sticking. Just under four minutes later, he moved Boston ahead 2-1 on a one-timer from the left circle off a pass from Charlie McAvoy.

 

“You give up the lead and its tough to come back,” said Jenner, who tied the game. “You don't want to be down. You want to get that tying goal (again), but they were able to get a couple."

 

Hall extended the margin to 3-1 at 12:41 of the third period and Tomas Nosek scored 19 seconds later.

 

Pastrnak’s 20th goal made it 1-0 at 7:17 of the opening period, the seventh straight season he’s reached that mark.

 

BERGERON CEREMONY

 

Joined by his wife, Stephanie, and their three small children, Bergeron was presented with crystal from the NHL by Johnny Bucyk, a gold stick from GM Don Sweeney, a check for $37,000 for a charity of his choice by President Cam Neely and gifts from the players by teammates Brad Marchand and Krejci.

 

He became the fourth player in Bruins history to reach the mark with the club, joining Hall of Famers Ray Bourque (1,506), Bucyk (1,339), and Phil Esposito (1,012) on Nov. 21 in a win at Tampa Bay. The three of them also congratulated him via a video on the Jumbotron.

 

“It was special,” Bergeron said. “I've been around for a long time in this city and played in front of these fans and I'm very appreciative of all the support I've had from them. It was nice moment. I was happy to share that with my family and teammates as well.”

 

TOUGH CROWD

 

There was also a video during a stoppage late in the first period with other NHL players congratulating Bergeron. That was greeted with a spattering of boos when Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin were shown.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 31

 

Bos 7 Panthers 3

 

Bergeron (2 goals, 2 assists) leads Bruins past Panthers 7-3

 

 

0:51

 

David Pastrnak nets power-play goal

David Pastrnak nets power-play goal

---

ByAP

Updated: 5 hours ago

 

BOSTON -- — Bruins coach Jim Montgomery watched his team let a four-goal lead turn into a 4-3 edge and wondered whether he needed to call a timeout to settle things down.

 

“They’re saying the right things on the bench. It’s not like I can call timeout and say anything better,” he said after Boston recovered from some mid-game sloppiness and beat the Florida Panthers 7-3 on Monday night.

 

“There wasn’t a sense of panic,” Montgomery said, “but there wasn’t a sense of urgency with our play, either.”

 

Patrice Bergeron scored a pair of third-period insurance goals after Boston almost blew a 4-0 lead, and the Bruins improved to 17-0-2 at home. Bergeron also had a pair of assists, and Linus Ullmark stopped 36 shots to earn his 10th consecutive win.

 

“If we can learn as we win, it's better than learning when you lose. But then, the losses will come,” Montgomery said with a laugh, “and we’ll learn better.”

 

The Bruins opened a 4-0 lead early in the second period before the Panthers scored three times in five minutes to make it a one-goal game.

 

Montgomery said if he had a younger team, he would have called a timeout.

 

Instead, he let his veteran leaders do the talking.

 

“It’s easy to squeeze and panic,” Bergeron said. “I think when you take a breath you realize that we’re still up, but we’ve got to be better.”

 

David Krejci slammed home the rebound of a Hampus Lindholm shot that bounced off both goalposts and out, giving Boston a 5-3 lead midway through the second. It stayed that way until Bergeron took a long lead pass from Connor Clifton and beat Spencer Knight with 11 minutes to play.

 

The Bruins captain added another goal about three minutes later, backhanding in a rebound from the slot.

 

“We haven’t been great playing with the lead lately, and that seems to continue,” Montgomery said. “We’re a little loose right now, but we’re winning. So it’s a fine balance of how much you push, and how much you let guys work through things.”

 

Knight stopped 19 shots for the Panthers, who have lost four of their last six games.

 

RALLY TIME

 

The Bruins made it 4-0 in the opening minutes of the second, just 21 seconds into a delay of game penalty for firing the puck over the glass. Brad Marchand fed Bergeron, and his shot rebounded off Knight right to David Pastrnak.

 

That’s when the Panthers woke up.

 

Just 100 seconds later, Sam Reinhart got to a rebound that Ullmark left open and poked it in to make it 4-1. Eric Stahl one-timed it from the right circle to make it 4-2 with six minutes gone in the second. Three minutes later, with his back to the net, Carter Verhaege backhanded the puck between his legs — and Ullmark’s.

 

As the puck trickled over the goal line, Boston defenseman Derek Forbort swept it away; it was originally ruled no goal, but replay showed it clearly crossed the line. (Forbort did manage to get behind Ullmark and punch one away with his glove in the third period.)

 

ON THE BOARD

 

Boston's first six goals came from six different players. Among them was defenseman Brandon Carlo, who scored his first of the season when he skated right through the slot before wristing a shot past Knight to make it 2-0 with six minutes left in the first.

 

“It's something that I haven’t tried to focus on too much of, not having a goal yet,” said Carlo, who has 22 goals in six-plus NHL seasons. “I knew it would hopefully come sooner, and I’m glad it did tonight.”

 

Also scoring for Boston were Clifton and Charlie Coyle.

 

 

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 32

 

Bos 3 Jets 2

 

Nick Foligno breaks 3rd-period tie, Bruins beat Jets 3-2

 

 

---

ByAP

6 hours ago

 

BOSTON -- — Nick Foligno broke a tie midway through the third period, Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots and the NHL-leading Boston Bruins rallied to beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Thursday night.

 

The Bruins improved to 26-4-2 and 18-0-2 at home.

 

Foligno scored from the left circle off a feed from Charlie Coyle. David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk also scored for the Bruins.

 

Mark Scheifele and Jansen Harkins scored for Winnipeg and Connor Hellebuyck made 37 saves.

 

The Jets led 2-0 at 7:20 of the first period, with Scheifele opening the scoring at 1:58 with his team-leading 20th goal.

 

“Maybe we weren’t as focused in the beginning as we should be,” Pastrnak said. “That’s a heck of of a team we beat. They’re not an easy team to play. You never take wins in this league for granted.”

 

Pastrnak scored his team-leading 22nd midway through the second, and DeBrusk tied it 2:52 later on the powerplay.

 

“You try your best to stay out of the penalty box against a team that’s so good in the faceoff circle and so good on the powerplay,” Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said. “That’s the best team in the league right now and we battled them to the end.”

 

McKENNEY REMEMBERED

 

Boston honored Don McKenney, who died Sunday at the age of 88. McKenney packed a lot in his nine seasons with the Bruins. He served as captain in his final two seasons with the Original Six franchise and either led or tied Boston scoring four times.

 

Game notes

Five weeks after announcing an investigation had been launched into the organization’s player-vetting process, after Boston signed controversial prospect Mitchell Miller and then cut ties with him two days later, the Bruins announced there were no findings of misconduct by team employees during the Miller vetting process. … Bowness is in his first season on the Winnipeg bench. He broke in as an NHL head coach with Boston back in 1991 and spent just one season with the club. … Morrissey extended his points streak to 11 games with the assist on Harkins’ goal. … DeBrusk’s goal was the 200th point of his career. “Really nice goal, too,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “It shows his skill and his ability to make electric plays around the net.”

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 33

 

Bos 4 Devils 3

 

Pastrnak and Ullmark lead Bruins past struggling Devils, 4-3

 

 

0:45

 

Yegor Sharangovich scores goal for Devils

Yegor Sharangovich scores goal for Devils

---

ByAP

Updated: 5 hours ago

 

NEWARK, N.J. -- — David Pastrnak scored two of Boston’s four second-period goals, and linemates David Krejci and Pavel Zacha each had two assists in the Bruins’ 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.

 

Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk also scored for the Bruins, and Linus Ullmark made 36 saves in his NHL-best 19th win. Boston has won four in a row and leads the NHL with 56 points entering the Christmas break.

 

“We got to how we want to play pretty quick,” Bruins first-year coach Jim Montgomery said. “After 10 games, I think we were there, and I think the confidence has just grown and I think we’re just deep and we can come at people wave after wave.”

 

Jack Hughes, Tomas Tatar and Yegor Sharangovich scored for New Jersey. Mackenzie Blackwood made 14 saves before getting pulled after two periods. The Devils lost for the seventh time in eight games (1-6-1) and dropped to 3-6-2 in December.

 

“We made some mistakes, they made some good plays,” Blackwood said. “I screwed up a little bit, so just a combination of everything.”

 

Boston improved to 9-4-1 when allowing the first goal, the best mark in the NHL, and won despite giving up the opening score for the second consecutive night.

 

“I think obviously teams are ready for us; they’re going to come to play their best games,” DeBrusk said. “We obviously want to score the first goal of the game, our record is pretty good when we score first, so it’s one of those things where we want to do that, but we understand we can come back and it’s about making adjustments and getting to our game.”

 

The Bruins struck for three goals in the first 10 minutes of the second, with Pastrnak scoring his 23rd and 24th goals of the season.

 

Bergeron tied it with his 13th goal at 3:12, then Pastrnak gave Boston a 2-1 lead when he put the rebound of Krejci’s shot between Blackwood’s pads at 4:34.

 

"Just playing and having a lot of fun, and the puck is going in,” Pastrnak said. “I’ve been shooting a lot. I think that’s big. So, just happy that it’s going in.”

 

New Jersey had chances to score during that stretch, but Ullmark slid across to deny Nico Hischier on a 2-on-1 break and Tatar rang a shot off the crossbar — one of two posts the Devils hit in the second.

 

“You look at the second period, we probably had our best opportunities to score,” New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff said. “Breakaway, 2-on-1, off the iron a couple of times. We don’t, and then we made a couple big mistakes.”

 

Pastrnak made it 3-1 when he beat Blackwood clean with a snap shot at 9:52. DeBrusk capped the huge second with his 13th goal off a pass from linemate Brad Marchand at 17:27.

 

“I just tried to get myself a little bit (of) space towards the net and knew I had to elevate (the puck),” DeBrusk said. “It was a great play by (Marchand). He passed it through a stick and it was a tap-in.”

 

Tatar and Sharangovich scored to cut Boston’s lead to 4-3, but Ullmark held off New Jersey, stopping 14 shots in the third.

 

Hughes broke the ice with his 18th goal, third in New Jersey’s past five games, and fourth on the power play at 16:36 of the first.

 

New Jersey could have had a larger lead if not for Ullmark. He made 10 saves in the first period, then stopped Miles Wood on a breakaway early in the second with the Devils up 1-0.

 

“He’s been outstanding,” Pastrnak said of Ullmark. “Obviously, he’s standing on his head, making some big saves. We’re all very happy for him.”

 

[CorkyM]

Those Bruins are just totally awesome. 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 34

 

Bos 2 Sens 3 SO

 

Talbot shines as Senators beat Bruins 3-2 in shootout

 

 

0:48

 

Jake DeBrusk scores off own rebound in incredible fashion

Jake DeBrusk bounces the puck off the board to himself for the unreal goal.

---

ByAP

Updated: 6 hours ago

 

OTTAWA, Ontario -- — Alex DeBrincat had the only goal of the shootout Tuesday night as the Ottawa Senators snapped a three-game slide with a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins.

 

DeBrincat and Tim Stutzle scored second-period goals for the Senators (15-16-3) while Cam Talbot made 49 saves including 26 in the third period alone.

 

“It was an exciting game. Probably gave them a few too many looks but Talbs kept us in the game for the most part and it’s nice to get the win,” said DeBrincat. “It’s always fun to go in the shootout. Didn’t really know what I was going to do, I just winged it and it worked out. It’s nice to see the puck go in the net.”

 

Jake DeBrusk and Pavel Zacha scored in regulation for the Bruins with Zacha’s goal coming at 16:27 of the third period to tie the game 2-2. Jeremy Swayman made 30 saves for the Bruins (27-4-3).

 

“Hats off to Talbot. That was a fun goalie battle,” Swayman said.

 

The Senators had a 2-1 lead after two periods and a 21-20 shot advantage. The Bruins outshot the Senators 27-5 in the third.

 

“Our goal was to get better every period. I thought our first was OK, our second wasn’t as good. I give credit to Ottawa, but I thought our third, we really got to our game,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said.

 

“Talbot was incredible.”

 

The teams played through a scoreless first period despite a pair of breakaways by Senators forwards Brady Tkachuk and Stutzle.

 

In the second period, Patrice Bergeron appeared to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead, but a video review determined the play was offside and the game remained scoreless.

 

Stutzle beat Swayman from the right faceoff dot at 8:11 on the power play.

 

“I think we worked really hard, but without (Talbot) I don’t think it would have been possible. He kept us in the game the whole time. They had a lot of chances, but he was there when he had to be,” Stutzle said.

 

The Bruins got that goal back just over two minutes later as DeBrusk's first shot was wide but hit the end boards and bounced back onto his stick as he was about to circle the net. He had an empty net to deposit the puck as Talbot was moving the other way expecting the puck to come out the other side.

 

DeBrincat restored the lead for the Senators as he caught up to the puck at the top of the crease and delivered a chip shot over the shoulder of Swayman at 13:37 for a 2-1 lead.

 

Senators forward Drake Batherson assisted on both second-period goals and increased his point streak to 11 games. It’s the highest such streak since Jason Spezza had an 11-game streak in 2011-12.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 35

 

Bos 3 Devils 1

 

Patrice Bergeron breaks late tie, Bruins beat Devils 3-1

 

 

---

ByAP

6 hours ago

 

NEWARK, N.J. -- — Patrice Bergeron scored the tiebreaker with 4:08 remaining in the third period and the Boston Bruins beat the New Jersey Devils 3-1 on Wednesday night.

 

Trent Frederic and Pavel Zacha also scored for NHL-leading Boston, which improved to 28-4-3. Linus Ullmark made 26 saves.

 

“It's almost like you get used to it,” Bergeron said of Ullmark, who won his 20th game of the season. “You don't want to do that, though. ... We're a good team defensively. And I think you (have) to carry that on.”

 

Vitek Vanecek made 24 saves for New Jersey, which fell to 22-11-2. Nico Hischier scored for the Devils.

 

“We did all the things that we talk about,” Erik Haula said. “You have to play 60 minutes, especially when we we play against the best teams in the league. If you don't play 60, you're vulnerable. And we got to fix that. Like now.”

 

Bergeron tipped a shot by Lindholm past Vancek for his 14th goal of the season.

 

“That play by Bergeron,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said, “there's not (enough) words to describe him. That's a big-time goal. Not everyone goes to those hard areas. That's why he scored. That's why he has a thousand points. That's why he's our leader.”

 

With New Jersey trailing 1-0 entering the third, Hischier tied the game at the 6:11 mark with his 14th of the season. The Devils captain drove to the net and redirected Fabian Zetterlund’s centering pass past Ullmark.

 

Despite being outplayed for most of the first two periods, it was the Bruins who broke through first. Frederic gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead 8:57 into the second period with his seventh goal of the season. A few moments after killing a New Jersey power play, the Bruins attacked. Lindholm intercepted a clearing attempt and skated down the middle of the ice before dropping a pass for Frederic, who snapped a quick shot past Vanecek from the high slot.

 

“Once you take care of the process, the results fall in line,” Bergeron said. “For me, it's all about the process and details. That's who we are. I think that's our identity. We (have) to concentrate and put the emphasis on details.”

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 36

 

Bos 3 Buff 4 OT

 

Tuch's 2nd goal gives Sabres 4-3 win in OT over Bruins

 

 

1:49

 

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins: Full Highlights

Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins: Full Highlights

---

ByAP

Updated: 11 hours ago

 

BOSTON -- — Alex Tuch scored his second goal of the game in overtime, and the Buffalo Sabres rallied for a 4-3 victory over the NHL-best Boston Bruins on Saturday for their sixth straight win.

 

Tage Thompson scored his team-leading 27th goal and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 37 shots for the Sabres, who won for just the second time in their last 11 games against the Bruins.

 

“Everybody knows how good they've been at home,” Luukkonen said in a joyful and loud Sabres' locker room. “I feel like guys are really confident now and it shows.”

 

Trailing 3-2 and skating with an extra attacker after pulling its goalie, Buffalo tied it when Dylan Cozens slipped a wrister past Jeremy Swayman with 1:37 to play.

 

“We came in here and I thought a lot of guys really showed up and worked really hard,” Tuch said. “We're finding examples where we allow skill to take over. We got a little lucky, but we'll take it.”

 

Boston’s Brad Marchand had scored the go-ahead goal on a clean breakaway after setting up Patrice Bergeron’s tying score just over five minutes into the third period.

 

“There's always something to learn — win or loss,” Marchand said. “We realize that any team can win any game. When we're up late like that we have to have the killer instinct. We didn't tonight. Definitely something we have to be better at down the road and playoff time.”

 

David Pastrnak added his 25th goal and Swayman made 21 saves for the Bruins, who remained unbeaten in regulation at home at 18-0-3.

 

Tuch slipped a shot past Swayman from the slot for the game-winner.

 

“It was relieving,” Tuch said. “I was a little tired. A couple of long shifts.”

 

Boston failed to add to its lead with a 5-on-3 power play late in the game.

 

“In that situation, with time on the clock and the amount of time we have on the 5-on-3, I think we have to extend the lead there,” Bergeron said.

 

Marchand had collected Pastrnak’s pass, skated up the middle and slipped a wrister between Luukkonen’s pads.

 

Bergeron’s tying score came when he one-timed Marchand’s pass from the edge of the right circle.

 

Tuch skated in on a breakaway and slipped a wrister inside the left post to put the Sabres ahead 2-1 early in the second period.

 

Boston had taken a 1-0 edge at 13:09 of the first when Pastrnak one-timed David Krejci’s cross-ice pass, but Thompson collected the puck in front of the net and shifted around Swayman before tucking it in at 16:13 of the period.

 

STAYING FOCUSED

 

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery didn’t hesitate when asked if he was worried about his team looking ahead to the Winter Classic matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Fenway Park on Monday.

 

“Usually I’d be very concerned about that, but not with this group,” he said. “They are very, very professional. We just talked about the importance of our keys to having success against the Sabres, who are a very, very dangerous offensive team.”

 

SPLENDID EARLY STOPS

 

Swayman made a left-arm save on Peyton Krebs’ breakaway early in the first period after Luukkonen went sprawling to make a left-pad stop on Nick Foligno’s shot.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 37

 

Bos 2 Penguins 1

 

NHL-best Bruins outlast Penguins in Winter Classic at Fenway

 

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 to win this year's Winter Classic in front of 39,243 fans at Fenway Park on Monday.

Winger Jake DeBrusk scored two third-period goals, including the game-winner with 2:33 left to break a 1-1 tie.

 

"This is an event that's a dream come true and we don't want to waste it," said DeBrusk, who now has 16 goals on the season. "You don't want to be thinking after a game like tonight that you wish you've done more. Because it's very rare that you get another chance to do it."

 

With the victory, the Bruins moved to 4-1 all time in NHL outdoor games, while the Penguins dropped to 2-4. Boston has the best record in the NHL this season at 29-4-4. The Penguins are now 19-12-6.

 

Boston goalie Linus Ullmark made 26 saves for the win.

 

The Penguins changed goaltenders with 4:30 remaining in first period, as an injured Tristan Jarry left for the locker room and backup Casey DeSmith took over the net. Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said that Jarry was being looked at for a lower body injury but offered no further details.

 

"It was uncharted territory," DeSmith said. "Just jumping in cold into an outdoor game carries a few more challenges than a regular game."

 

The Penguins took the lead with 11:20 left in the second period, as winger Danton Heinen fed linemate Kasperi Kapanen for a point-blank shot that beat goalie Ullmark. The goal came soon after the Bruins had killed four minutes of Penguins' power-play time after minor penalties on forward David Pastrnak and defenseman Hampus Lindholm.

 

According to Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, it was after the second period when veteran forward Nick Foligno asked to address the team and gave a confidence-boosting speech. Boston was reminded about its prowess as a third-period team, where it now has a plus-41 goal differential.

 

"He just got everybody in and talked about our team through the year and what we've been able to do," DeBrusk said.

 

The Bruins tied the game with 12:14 left in the third period. Winger Brad Marchand found DeBrusk on the side of the Penguins' net and his wraparound beat DeSmith just six seconds after a Pittsburgh penalty expired.

 

DeBrusk's game winner came after a great stickhandling move to the net by linemate Taylor Hall. DeSmith made the save, but DeBrusk knocked the puck in on the rebound.

 

"He scores some big goals. He has over the years," Bruins forward Charlie Coyle said. "When he plays with that confidence and he skates, the puck seems to find him sometimes. He made it happen."

 

The Penguins came close to tying the game at the end of regulation on an Evgeni Malkin shot, but the puck crossed the line after the final buzzer. Ullmark raised his arms in the air in celebration as the Bruins surrounded him, while Pittsburgh's players momentarily remained on the bench until the no-goal was confirmed.

 

"It was a lot of chaos at the end. But for some reason, it felt like we had it under control," Ullmark said. "It was just pure joy and happiness afterwards. It's something that I dreamt about for 14 years ever since I saw the first one at home in Sweden. I was always very jealous of the people who played before in them, that had that opportunity. And now we had that opportunity."

 

Pittsburgh was without defenseman Kris Letang, who returned to Montreal to be with his family after the death of his father.

 

"It was a real competitive hockey game. It was a pretty even game," Sullivan said. "There's a fine line between winning and losing, and we ended up on the wrong side of it tonight."

 

By Winter Classic weather standards, Monday was ideal: Cloud cover making glare off the ice a non-factor and game-time temperatures around 51 degrees.

 

This was the second Winter Classic to be held at Fenway Park. The Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime in the 2010 Classic, the third edition of the NHL's outdoor game and the first one to feature a fight.

 

One major change between the two games: The rink for this year's edition ran parallel to the Green Monster in left field, with a replica baseball diamond hockey rink built in between. Penguins and Bruins players stood on the "baselines" of that rink for a ceremonial "first puck pitch" before the game, as Boston hockey legend Bobby Orr shot a puck to former Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek.

Coyle, a Massachusetts native who attended the 2010 game as a Bruins fans, said it was hard not getting caught up in the moment.

 

"You don't grow up thinking you're gonna be playing a hockey game at Fenway Park," he said. "To play hockey in there was really special and we're glad we took advantage of the opportunity in front of us."

 

As has become an NHL outdoor game tradition, both teams arrived at the Classic wearing attention-grabbing attire. In recognition of the game being at Fenway, the Penguins dressed in throwback Pittsburgh Pirates gear while the Bruins wore retro Boston Red Sox uniforms.

 

"It gives our team a chance to tip our caps to all the great players and the great teams that have played in this stadium," Sullivan said.

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 38

 

Bos 5 LA 2

 

Frederic scores twice to propel Bruins past Kings 5-2

 

 

0:33

 

David Pastrnak scores goal for Bruins

David Pastrnak scores goal for Bruins

---

ByAP

Updated: 1 hour ago

 

LOS ANGELES -- — After a cross-country trip, the Boston Bruins followed up their win in the Winter Classic with another milestone victory.

 

Trent Frederic scored twice in 34 seconds during the third period as the Bruins extended their point streak to 12 games and posted their 30th win of the season with a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

 

The Bruins (30-4-4) lead the league with 64 points and are only the third team in NHL history to reach 30 wins in 38 games or fewer. The last team to accomplish it was the 1944-45 Montreal Canadiens (30-5-3), and the 1929-30 Bruins did it in 35 games (30-4-1).

 

“We just want to keep things rolling. We know how good we are and games like this, where you have a little adversity with travel or whatever, you want to get on top and get those two points," said goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who made 27 saves. "It’s a feel-good win, but at the same time, we’re still not satisfied.”

 

Swayman made some history of his own, defeating Pheonix Copley in the first NHL matchup of goalies born in Alaska. Swayman is from Anchorage while Copley hails from North Pole, Alaska.

 

“I know what it took Pheonix to get here. To represent such an incredible state on the biggest stage, it’s pretty incredible," Swayman said. "I'm really excited to be a part of that with him.”

 

Copley made 17 saves, but his seven-game winning streak was snapped.

 

Frederic put in the go-ahead goal at 10:36 when he redirected Brandon Carlo's shot from the point. The Boston center then quickly picked up his career-high ninth goal of the season at 11:10 when he beat Copley with a backhand in front.

 

“I was actually ready to change (shifts) after scoring the first one. Too much on the celebration. I was lucky enough, I stayed out there,” Frederic said.

 

David Pastrnak also had two goals and leads Boston with 27 on the season. Brad Marchand had a goal and an assist, and Charlie McAvoy added two assists for the Bruins, who are 9-0-3 in their last 12 games. That included Monday's 2-1 victory over Pittsburgh in the Winter Classic at Fenway Park.

 

Phillip Danault and Sean Durzi scored for Los Angeles, which has dropped two of three after picking up a point in seven straight games.

 

“They’re patient, they wait for their opportunities," Kings coach Todd McLellan said. "Really good teams take advantage of those moments. And I think we’re becoming that. We’re not quite there yet, but we can do it.”

 

Danault gave the Kings a 1-0 lead at 16:04 of the first period when he got a great pass from Alex Iafallo in front and lifted a wrist shot over Swayman's skate. The goal gave Danault a point in eight of his last nine games.

 

Boston grabbed the lead with a pair of goals a little more than two minutes apart in the second. Pastrnak buried a snap shot from the slot at 6:26. After Los Angeles' Blake Lizotte was called for hooking at 8:41, Marchand put in a wrist shot at a sharp angle from the right faceoff circle that Copley was unable to get with his glove six seconds into the power play.

 

Durzi evened it at 11:09 of the second on a one-timer off a pass from Matt Roy.

 

Pastrnak added an empty-net goal at 17:33 of the third.

 

“I liked the pace of our play. Our transition offense was instant. Our forwards were reloading. Our defensemen had tight gaps," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. "I thought the pucks were moving quickly and guys had their heads up. I think by far the best game we’ve played in a while.”

 

CLOSE CALL

 

Viktor Arvidsson was as close as anyone could get to giving the Kings a 3-2 lead with three minutes left in the second period.

 

Arvidsson's shot from the right faceoff circle hit Swayman's pads and deflected over his shoulders. The puck appeared to be trickling into the net, but it flipped up at the last second, stayed upright and rode the goal line after hitting the post before Swayman deflected it away with his stick and covered the puck with his glove to stop play.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 39

 

Bos 4 Sharks 2

 

Pastrnak scores twice, Bruins top Sharks to extend point streak to 13

Bergeron has 2 assists, moves past Esposito for 3rd in points in Boston history

by Chelena Goldman / NHL.com Independent Correspondent

SAN JOSE -- David Pastrnak scored two goals for the Boston Bruins, who extended their point streak to 13 games with a 4-2 win against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday.

Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists, and Charlie McAvoy and Patrice Bergeron each had two assists for the Bruins (31-4-4), who are 10-0-3 during their streak. Linus Ullmark made 28 saves.

 

"When you have great depth like we have, you're able to move people around, especially when people are on top of their games, to give our team an added spark," Boston coach Jim Montgomery said.

 

Logan Couture and Mario Ferraro scored for the Sharks (12-21-8), who were coming off a 5-4 overtime loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. James Reimer made 25 saves.

 

"We've lost too many games here in the last couple of years, and it's tough, but all we can do is just move forward," Couture said. "Tonight, we played a very good team pretty close all night, and it could have gone either way there for a while. So we'll take the positives, have a day off tomorrow, and get back to work on Monday."

 

 

 

Pastrnak buries a PPG

 

• 00:38 • January 7th, 2023

Marchand put Boston ahead 1-0 at 1:03 of the first period. He skated the puck out of his own zone, deked around Ferraro at the blue line, and cut back on Scott Harrington in the low slot before finishing with a backhand.

 

"Seems like he has his legs for sure," Bergeron said. "He's an impressive player and is a character player as well."

 

With the secondary assist on the play, Bergeron moved past Phil Esposito (1,012) for third in points in Bruins history.

 

"It's very special," Montgomery said. "When you look at the guys that are up there, you know, legends of the game, people that I have a lot of respect for, and they've had a tremendous impact on the organization, but also in the League itself."

 

 

 

Marchand's amazing solo effort

 

• 00:40 • January 7th, 2023

Craig Smith scored his second of the season to make it 2-0 at 5:32, controlling a pass from Nick Foligno and shooting glove side from the right hash marks.

 

Couture cut it to 2-1 at 6:57 with a tap-in off a backdoor pass from Alexander Barabanov.

 

Ferraro tied it 2-2 at 14:55 of the second period when his one-timer from the right point deflected in off the back of Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm.

Sharks coach David Quinn said after the game that Ferraro played after being sick earlier in the day.

 

"I give Mario Ferraro a lot of credit," Quinn said. "He was sick as a dog all day long and tried to compete for it."

 

Pastrnak responded for Boston to make it 3-2 at 16:45, scoring on a shot through traffic on a power play.

 

"I couldn't get a beat on it, unfortunately," Reimer said. "Obviously as a goalie, you want to fight and find a sightline so you can see it. But unfortunately, it was just one of those where I couldn't find a sightline and he managed to slip it into a pretty tight space."

 

 

 

Pastrnak then extended the lead to 4-2 at 9:00 of the third period when he beat a lunging Reimer near the left post.

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 40

 

Bruins 7 Ducks 1

 

Sizzling Pastrnak's hat trick sends Bruins past Ducks, 7-1

By GREG BEACHAM

AP Sports Writer

 

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) David Pastrnak had three goals and an assist, Hampus Lindholm scored a goal in his Anaheim homecoming, and the Boston Bruins completed a perfect three-game road trip with a 7-1 victory over the Ducks on Sunday night.

David Krejci had a goal and two assists before Brad Marchand, Lindholm and Charlie Coyle added third-period goals for the first-place Bruins. Boston has won four straight overall after trouncing California's three NHL teams by a combined 16-5 over the past four days.

"Our defense is playing well, and all four lines are rolling, and we've got two great goaltenders," Pastrnak said after the Bruins (32-4-4) boosted their overall NHL lead to 11 points over Toronto and Carolina. "We're doing great and playing for each other."

Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves to back Pastrnak, who has 32 goals in 40 games this season after securing his 13th career hat trick. He scored a whopping seven goals in the Bruins' three West Coast games, and this outburst in Anaheim was yet another indication the Czech winger is about to get a monster contract, either before or after he hits unrestricted free agency this summer.

"I had some good looks and I was able to capitalize," Pastrnak said. "Unbelievable trip for us. Now let's go home."

Trevor Zegras scored and John Gibson stopped 35 shots for the Ducks, who failed to secure their first three-game winning streak since November 2021. Last-place Anaheim dropped to 3-4-1 on its franchise-record, 10-game homestand.

"In the first two periods, I was OK with the effort," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said. "In the third, we just unscrewed our brains."

After Pastrnak secured the sixth 30-goal season of his career with a first-period score, he wrapped his hat trick with two goals 17 seconds apart in the second period. He put a power-play goal between Gibson's legs and followed it with a breakaway goal, sending dozens of hats flying onto the Orange County ice from Bruins fans.

Boston coach Jim Montgomery said Pastrnak is "elite. Creative. He's like an artist in the different ways he scores. ... I would have broke my ankle if I was the goalie (on the third goal)."

Pastrnak is no stranger to prolific performances against the Ducks: He scored a career-best four goals on Anaheim in Boston in October 2019.

Ducks fans gave a warm welcome home to Lindholm, the longtime Anaheim defenseman who was traded to Boston last spring when new general manager Pat Verbeek decided not to sign him to a long-term contract. Lindholm, the sixth overall pick by the Ducks in 2012, is third in franchise history among defensemen in points, goals, assists and blocked shots.

Lindholm immediately got an eight-year, $52 million deal from the Bruins, and the Swede has been worth it: He left his homecoming game with an impressive 28 points and a plus-29 rating.

"It was a great moment," Lindholm said of the tribute video and standing ovation for him in the first period. "This place is special to me, but now I'm on to a new chapter that I'm really excited about."

Pastrnak put the Bruins ahead less than four minutes in from the top of the left circle with a quick wrist shot past Gibson, who was screened by teammate John Klingberg.

Zegras, who scored 36 points in his one season at Boston University, scored his 12th goal of the season on a nasty one-timer late in the first.

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 41

 

Bruins 0 Seattle 3

 

Red hot Kraken send Bruins to 1st regulation home loss, 3-0

By JIMMY GOLEN

AP Sports Writer

 

BOSTON (AP) Kraken goalie Martin Jones called it Seattle's best game of the season, and who was forward Yanni Gourde to argue?

"I won't disagree with Jonesy, especially after tonight's game," Gourde said Thursday night after Jones stopped 27 shots for second straight shutout in the Kraken's 3-0 victory over the Boston Bruins.

"He's been phenomenal for us throughout the season, especially the last two games," Gourde said. "He came out big tonight against a very, very talented that group, made some key saves throughout the game and they kept us in the game."

Three nights after shutting out the Canadiens in Montreal, Jones stopped David Pastrnak's breakaway in the second period - Boston's best chance at a goal - and Seattle matched its franchise record with a seventh straight victory. The Kraken also won seven in a row earlier this season - its second since joining the NHL as an expansion team.

Brandon Tanev and Eeli Tolvanen scored for Seattle and Jaden Schwartz added an empty netter after the Bruins pulled Linus Ullmark for a 6-on-5 advantage with about five minutes to play.

"I thought that was probably our most complete game of the season," Jones said. "To come in and play how we did and, and come up with a win in this building, you know, that's a big step forward for us."

Ullmark made 28 saves for the Bruins, who had won four straight while building an 11-point lead in the race for the NHL's best record. It was the first regulation loss at home all season for Boston, an Original Six franchise in its 99th season.

Seattle took a 1-0 lead seven minutes into the first period when what seemed like a harmless attempt to send the puck behind the net by Daniel Sprong was tipped by Tanev into the narrow space on Ullmark's glove side.

"I was a little surprised," Tanev said. "But, I mean, you take them any way you can get them."

The Kraken made it 2-0 in the second when Tolvanen received a deflected puck in the slot, whirled around, faked a slapshot and wristed it under the crossbar. The Bruins played on, but the referee and the replay official confirmed that the puck found the back of the net.

The Bruins pulled Ullmark with five minutes left and kept the puck in the Kraken zone for almost all of the next three minutes before Schwartz cleared it into the empty net to make it 3-0.

The Kraken also won seven in a row from Nov. 17 to Dec. 1, a streak that included four overtime victories. All seven of the expansion team's current winning streak - the longest active run in the NHL - have been in regulation.

The Bruins' last home loss in regulation was April 14, 2022, to Ottawa. They had been 19-0-3 at home this season.

"It's a tough place to win, obviously," Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. "You don't come in here with any passengers and win a hockey game."

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 42

 

Bos 4 Leafs 3

 

Grzelcyk breaks tie late, Bruins beat Maple Leafs 4-3

 

 

1:11

 

Matt Grzelcyk nets goal vs. Maple Leafs

Matt Grzelcyk nets goal vs. Maple Leafs

---

ByAP

Updated: 6 hours ago

 

BOSTON -- — The NHL-best Boston Bruins haven’t lost back-to-back games all season, and they wanted to keep it that way.

 

“The game meant more to us than I imagined before the game,” coach Jim Montgomery said after Boston bounced back from its first shutout of the season and beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Saturday night.

 

“And I’m glad it did,” Montgomery added. “We’re proud of not having lost two in a row. There was a purpose to what we were doing — not only because it was a second-place team in Toronto that we were playing, but we don’t want to lose two in a row.”

 

Two nights after being shut out by the Seattle Kraken — Boston's first regulation loss at home all season — Matt Grzelcyk scored with 76 seconds left to help the Bruins beat Toronto for the first time in five tries since before the pandemic.

 

Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and A.J. Greer also scored for Boston, and Linus Ullmark stopped 18 shots. The Bruins have the NHL's best record and 70 points in 42 games — 11 points ahead of Atlantic Division rival Toronto; the Carolina Hurricanes are No. 2 in the league with 61 points.

 

Michael Bunting, Pierre Engvall and Auston Matthews scored for the Maple Leafs, and Matt Murray made 30 saves. The teams fought twice, including a scrum at the end of the second period that led to 10-minute misconduct penalties against Wayne Simmonds and Greer.

 

“I haven’t played in the playoffs in the NHL, but I can definitely feel it through the building,” Greer said. “It was a great win, and a rewarding win in front of our fans. It’s Bruins hockey. It’s electric.”

 

Toronto led 1-0 and 2-1 before Boston took its first lead at 3-2 on Greer’s goal midway through the second period. But Matthews, returning from an undisclosed injury that cost him two games, tied it for Toronto early in the third.

 

It stayed that way until Grzelcyk slapped the puck through a screen and into the net. Murray complained that he had been interfered with, but there was no challenge.

 

NEW DEAL

 

After the game, the Bruins announced they signed Pavel Zacha to a four-year extension with an annual cap hit of $4.75 million. Zacha, 25, has five goals and 20 assists this season.

 

Zacha spent the first seven years of his career with New Jersey, which picked him sixth overall in the 2015 draft, before he was traded to Boston last summer for Erik Haula. Zacha has 74 goals and 130 assists in his career.

 

FIGHT NIGHT

 

Simmonds and Boston’s Nick Foligno got into a fistfight in the first period that lasted several minutes before they tired themselves out and the officials moved in to break it up. When they did, Simmonds tapped his former Maple Leafs teammate on the head approvingly.

 

But there was more animosity at the end of the second, when the teams hesitated before leaving the ice. Simmonds needed to be escorted back to the bench while he was jawing with Greer.

 

“There’s players on their team that certain guys on our team don’t like. And I’m sure it’s the same way” for Toronto, Montgomery said. “That’s what makes for a rivalry and that’s why it was such a heated, good hockey game.”

 

HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES

 

The Bruins had killed off 18 straight penalties before Bunting opened the scoring with a power-play goal. Boston tied it when the Maple Leafs left Bergeron alone in the slot, and he nonchalantly redirected a pass from Brad Marchand into the net.

 

Engvall gave Toronto another lead early in the second when he split two defensemen with a wrist shot that beat Ullmark. Three minutes later, Pastrnak deflected a pass in the Boston zone and chased it down, racing down the left side with Marchand closing on the right.

 

Pastrnak kept it, and put the puck through Murray’s legs to make it 2-2.

 

Midway through the second, Ullmark lost his stick but still managed to make a diving glove save — despite Boston forward Taylor Hall crashing into him — on Mark Giordano. The Bruins came away with the puck, with Tomas Nosek bringing it into the Toronto zone and drawing away a defender before passing it to Foligno, who centered it to Greer for the goal.

 

Zacha hit the post of an open net on a shot that could have given Boston a 4-2 lead. Instead, Matthews tied it 3-all three minutes into the third.

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 43

 

Bos 6 Flyers 0

 

Czech it out: Pastrnak, Zacha, Krejci help Bruins top Flyers

 

---

ByAP

Updated: 10 hours ago

 

BOSTON -- — Bruins forward David Krejci is getting a taste of his homeland right here in Boston.

 

The native of Czechia played in his 1,000th NHL game on Monday and assisted on three goals — all by countrymen Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak — to help the Bruins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-0.

 

“He’s a legend back home,” Zacha said. “Everyone knows who he is. And now, with the thousandth game here for one team, I think he became a legend here, too, which is nice.”

 

Pastrnak and Zacha scored two goals apiece and Jeremy Swayman earned his first shutout of the season to help the NHL-best Bruins win for the sixth time in seven games.

 

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery met Krejci's parents after the game and told them they had raised a great hockey player and person. Inside the dressing room, their son was drenched with water in a celebration that left puddles around his locker.

 

“He is like my big brother,” Pastrnak said. “I was idolizing him as a as a kid. I came into the league, young and learning from him every day. And now he is one of my closest friends. So I’m very happy for him.”

 

Krejci, who interrupted his 16-year Boston career by playing in Czechia last season, returned this year and became just the seventh Bruin to appear in 1,000 NHL games. Only Krejci, Patrice Bergeron and Wayne Cashman did it while playing their entire NHL careers in Boston.

 

Montgomery at first said “the only reason we’re an elite team in the league is because he came here,” then corrected himself to say it was “a huge factor.”

 

“It gives us the opportunity to have great depth,” he said.

 

Pastrnak scored the first goal in the first period and added another during a 4-on-3 power play to start the third to help Boston improve to 21-1-3 at home this season.

 

Carter Hart stopped 14 shots before he was replaced midway through the second period by Samuel Ersson, who made nine saves the rest of the way. The Flyers lost for just the second time in nine games.

 

ON THE BOARD

 

Pastrnak opened the scoring five minutes in when he forced a turnover in the Philadelphia zone and headed for the crease, where he deflected a pass from Zacha into the net. With five minutes left in the period, Zacha put his entire body into a slapshot that made it 2-0 and knocked him from his skates.

 

Brad Marchand backhanded in a rebound four minutes into the second to give Boston a 3-0 lead. Less than a minute later, Zacha’s crossing pass was deflected into the net. Pastrnak made it 5-0 with a one-kneed, one-timer early in the third and then Matt Grzelcyk gave Boston a 6-0 lead with 12 minutes left.

 

KREJCI 1,000

 

Krejci received a standing ovation – and the traditional stick-taps from both teams – when the public address system announced after his first shift that he had played in his 1,000th NHL game.

 

Drafted by Boston in 2004, Krejci spent his first 15 years of his pro career with the Bruins before leaving last season to play in his native Czechia. He is the third player on the roster to reach the 1,000-game milestone, joining Bergeron and Nick Foligno.

 

The team said it would honor Krejci before the game against Ottawa on Feb. 20.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 44

 

Bos 4 NYI 1

 

McAvoy, Forbort score in 2nd, Bruins beat Islanders 4-1

 

 

0:36

 

Brad Marchand tallies goal for Bruins on the power play

Brad Marchand tallies goal for Bruins on the power play

---

ByAP

5 hours ago

 

NEW YORK -- — Defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Derek Forbort scored in the second period, and the Boston Bruins beat the New York Islanders 4-1 on Wednesday night.

 

Brad Marchand and Trent Frederic also scored for Boston, and Charlie Coyle had two assists. Linus Ullmark had 25 saves in his 100th career win, improving to 24-2-1 on the season.

 

“I couldn't be more happy, its been overwhelming,” Ullmark said of reaching his milestone. “I have a lot of gratitude playing with the boys who work so hard every night.”

 

The Bruins (35-5-4) earned their third straight victory. The NHL’s only 30-win team improved to 7-1-0 in 2023.

 

Zach Parise scored and Semyon Varlamov made 20 saves for the Islanders, who lost for the sixth time in seven games (1-4-2). They completed a season-high five-game homestand at 1-2-2.

 

“If you look back at all five games, I feel we played better than what the results are,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. “In these five games we've had plenty and ample opportunity. ... We're a little snake-bit right now.”

 

Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron briefly left the game after he was hit in the face by the puck on a slap shot from teammate David Pastrnak that deflected off the Islanders' Cal Clutterbuck at 4:26 of the third period.

 

Marchand then extended the Bruins' lead to 3-1 just 37 seconds later with a one-timer from the right faceoff dot off a pass from Pastrnak for his 15th.

 

“We're resilient, we're able to find another level,” Marchand said after Boston improved to 24-0-1 when taking a lead into the third period. "We have experience, the older guys know how to play."

 

Parise hit a goalpost at 7:11, and Frederic sealed Boston's win when he tapped in a loose puck in front with 4:22 left for his 10th of the season.

 

“It’s easy to say you can’t get discouraged, but frustration is for sure high,” Islanders forward Brock Nelson said. “You just (have) to keep going, keep shooting. ... I’ve had looks where you’d like to have a different result.”

 

Trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Bruins took the lead with two goals 4:12 apart midway through the second.

 

McAvoy tied it with a one-timer from the top of the left circle off a pass from Matt Grzelcyk for his third at 7:48.

 

“It was an important goal for us, got us back into it," McAvoy said. "We were able to take over from there. ... Linus has been exceptional all season, he gives us a chance to win every night.”

 

Boston then took the lead after Varlamov stopped Pavel Zacha's initial shot from the point. However, as the puck trickled toward the goal line, Forbort skated in from the left side and poked it in before Varlamov could knock it away. It was his third.

 

Parise scored with 4:19 left in the first on a one-timer from the top of the left circle off a pass from Sebastian Aho. It was Parise's 13th goal of the season.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 45

 

Bruins 3 NYR 1

 

Swayman makes 31 saves as NHL-best Bruins beat Rangers 3-1

 

The Bruins go up 3-0 thanks to Connor Clifton's goal in the first 30 seconds of the third period.

---

ByAP

Updated: 5 hours ago

 

NEW YORK -- — Jeremy Swayman made 31 saves to help the Boston Bruins beat the New York Rangers 3-1 on Thursday night for their eighth victory in nine games.

 

Pavel Zacha, Patrice Bergeron and Connor Clifton scored for NHL-leading Boston, which improved to 15-1-3 in its last 19 games. Brad Marchand and David Krejci each had two assists.

 

Swayman was working on a shutout before New York defenseman Ben Harpur scored with 4:23 left. The 24-year-old goaltender improved to 6-0-2 in his last eight starts.

 

“He's been fantastic. He made really hard saves look easy," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said.

 

The Bruins moved to 36-5-4 overall while the Rangers lost their second straight at home.

 

"We had some opportunities but it was just not enough,″ Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said.

 

Zacha opened the scoring 1:19 into the first period, redirecting a Krejci shot past Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin. It was Zacha's eighth goal this season and the 30th point for the former Devils forward.

 

"We're a good team playing with the lead. It allows us to get to our game a little faster," Montgomery said.

 

Swayman made several sterling stops in the first as the Bruins outshot the Rangers 13-11.

 

He fended off a Braden Schneider shot with his mask and made perhaps his best save at the period’s final second, smothering a Chris Kreider redirection off a cross-ice pass from Artemi Panarin.

 

Bergeron, the 37-year-old Bruins captain, made it 2-0 at 4:42 of the second, snapping a shot from the high slot past Shesterkin. Bergeron continues to thrive in his 19th NHL season with 17 goals and 36 points.

 

“It’s a tough building to play in and great building to play in,″ Bergeron said about visiting Madison Square Garden. "The fans are always into it. So when you get that lead, it gives you confidence. And Sway kept us in the game a few times."

 

Swayman denied Panarin on a breakaway 13 minutes into the second.

 

Clifton increased the lead to 3-0 just 28 seconds into the third. It was his fourth on the season.

 

“They manage the puck well and make plays," Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad said of the Bruins. ”They took advantage of the chances that they had."

 

Boston was coming off a 4-1 road win over the Islanders on Wednesday. The Bruins are 8-0-1 in their last nine road games and 15-4-1 on the road this season.

 

“It was a huge road win for us, especially on the back-to-back,″ said Swayman, whose father, Ken, was born in Brooklyn and often attended Rangers games. “It's so special coming here. My dad talks to me every time I come here. I can't wait to talk to him about this one.”

 

The Rangers won at Columbus on Monday after a 2-1 loss to Montreal at home on Sunday. New York had won seven of nine home games since Dec. 5.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 46

 

Bos 4 Sharks 0

 

Bruins beat Sharks 4-0, extend winning streak to five games

By KEN POWTAK

Associated Press

 

BOSTON (AP) Defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy scored highlight-reel goals, Linus Ullmark made 17 saves and the NHL-leading Boston Bruins beat the San Jose Sharks for the 11th straight time, 4-0 on Sunday night.

The Bruins won their fifth straight game and improved to 22-1-3 at home this season, including a victory at Fenway Park as the "home" team in the Winter Classic.

"Our bench was really motivated by it," Boston's first-year coach Jim Montgomery said of the McAvoy and Lindholm goals. "When those two guys, you have two studs out there that are making plays like that, not only what it does for our bench, but it deflates the other team."

Ullmark, named a first-time All Star, improved his record to 25-2-1. He had a relatively easy game before leaving 8:01 into the period with a skate-blade issue, and backup Jeremy Swayman made one stop in relief before Ullmark returned 2:28 later.

"I have no clue," Ullmark said of what happened to his skate. "I had some skate issues before the game, but we took care of that. ... A flat tire, that's for sure. That was weird. I was just happy they didn't shoot. It's so much easier when you're standing up. Now, you have to sit."

David Pastrnak had his team-leading 36th goal and Nick Foligno also scored for Boston, which hasn't lost to the Sharks since falling 3-2 at home on March 15, 2016. Brad Marchand added two assists.

James Reimer stopped 18 shots for the Sharks, who were shut out for the first time this season.

Lindholm took a pass from Marchand near the blue line and cut down the center, shifting around Michael Eyssimont before firing a wrist shot over Reimer's left shoulder to make it 1-0 at 7:16 of the first period.

In the second, McAvoy charged down the slot, flipped the puck past forward Timo Meier and collected it himself before shifting to his right and slipping it around Reimer at 4:08.

"I thought they were a little flat-footed. I had some speed going through there," McAvoy said. "Scoring goals is the funnest thing in the game."

Foligno redirected Lindholm's shot to make it 3-0 at 6:46 of the second. Pastrnak's goal came on a power play.

Playing the second of an eight-game trip, the Sharks didn't reach double digits in shots on goal until late in the second.

"When you're fishing for pucks against good players, you're going to pay the price and that's kind of what happened," Sharks coach David Quinn said of the goals by Lindholm and McAvoy.

MAKE-A-WISH NIGHT

Before the game, the Bruins surprised 10-year-old Tanner Dikan, who was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, with a one-day contract, making him an honorary team member. He also got to announce the starting lineup to the players in the dressing room before the game and joined Montgomery at the podium for his postgame press conference.

NICE TOUCH

The Bruins had a video tribute with current and former players congratulating assistant equipment manager Matt Falconer, who worked his 1,000th game.

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 47

 

Bos 4 Habs 2

 

Bergeron breaks tie, NHL-leading Bruins beat Canadiens 4-2

 

 

---

ByAP

Updated: 6 hours ago

 

MONTREAL -- — Patrice Bergeron broke a tie with 2:55 left and the NHL-leading Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 on Tuesday night for their sixth straight victory.

 

Following a faceoff in the offensive zone, Bergeron hopped on a loose puck in the slot and beat Samuel Montembeault with a wrist shot.

 

“I grew up a Nordiques fan coming from Quebec City but I do understand and recognize the tradition, everything has been through, and all the legends that have been wearing that jersey,” Bergeron said.

 

“For me, it’s a lot of pride to play for the Bruins with that same kind of tradition and legends of the game and be a part of it. So, I always try to enjoy and make the most of it.”

 

Taylor Hall and David Krejci also scored for Boston in the first game of the season between the rivals. David Pastrnak had an empty-netter in the final minute and added three assists.

 

Jeremy Swayman made 19 saves to help the Bruins improve to 38-5-4.

 

Kirby Dach scored twice for Montreal, and Montembeault made 25 saves. The Canadiens dropped to 20-25-3.

 

“I’m proud of the guys tonight,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. “We fought, we played a good game. They’re tough to play against but we were there, we were engaged. We didn’t get the result but you need to be careful with how you measure success.”

 

The Canadiens opened the scoring on a power play at 9:11 of the second period, with Dach beating Swayman with a wrister.

 

Boston scored on a power-play goal of its own with 5:48 left in the second. Montembeault saved a shot that deflected off of David Savard, but Hall pounced on the rebound to tie it.

 

The Bruins took the lead midway through the third when Kreijci deflected in Pavel Zacha’s shot. Dach tied it at 2 with 8:29 left, banging in his career-high 10th goal.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 48

 

Bos 2 Bolts 3

 

Hedman lifts Lightning over Bruins for 11th straight at home

 

---

ByAP

7 hours ago

 

TAMPA, Fla. -- — Victor Hedman scored the go-ahead goal with 6:31 remaining and the Tampa Bay Lightning tied a team record with their 11th straight home victory by defeating the NHL-best Boston Bruins 3-2 on Thursday night.

 

Brayden Point’s pass for Steven Stamkos on a 2-on-1 misfired, but the puck came right to Hedman. His shot from the left circle beat Linus Ullmark after the Boston goalie was run over by teammate Brandon Carlo, breaking a 2-all tie.

 

The Lightning matched the franchise mark for consecutive home wins, set in 2019-20. They ended Boston’s six-game winning streak and the Bruins’ run of seven road victories in a row.

 

Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov also scored for Tampa Bay, which defeated the Bruins for the first time in three tries this season. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 37 saves.

 

Brad Marchand and Pavel Zacha had the goals for the Bruins, who fell to 38-6-4. Ullmark stopped 32 shots.

 

The Lightning needed just 30 seconds to capitalize on their first power play and take a 1-0 lead. Hagel was left alone in front, took a pass from Kucherov and beat Ullmark over the blocker at 10:42.

 

Vasilevskiy preserved the lead late in the period by robbing Zacha and David Pastrnak less than a minute apart.

 

The goalies continued to excel in the second. Vasilevskiy denied Hampus Lindholm, who was alone between the hashmarks, five minutes into the period. Eight minutes later, Ullmark stopped Point on a breakaway and Stamkos on a wide-open 15-footer from the slot.

 

However, Marchand got the Bruins even at 1 when he beat Vasilevskiy with a low wrist shot from the left circle at 16:58.

 

The Lightning took a 2-1 lead 58 seconds into the third period when Stamkos won a faceoff to Kucherov, who whipped a shot past Ullmark. But the Bruins tied it at 2:24 on a goal by Zacha, who finished off a three-way passing play.

 

[Brewin Flames]

Game # 49

 

Bos 3 Fla 4 OT

 

Reinhart scores 17 seconds into OT, Panthers beat Bruins 4-3

By GEORGE RICHARDS

Associated Press

 

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) Sam Reinhart scored 17 seconds into overtime to cap a late scoring flurry and give the Florida Panthers a 4-3 victory over the NHL-leading Boston Bruins on Saturday night.

After David Pastrnak scored to give the Bruins the lead with 48.6 seconds left in regulation, Florida captain Aleksander Barkov tied it with 2.4 seconds remaining.

The Panthers, the NHL Presidents' Trophy winners last season, won for the first time this season when trailing going into the third period of a game. Florida had been 0-17-1 in such situations while the Bruins were 26-0-1 when leading after the first 40 minutes.

"I think were due for a game like this and were due a result like this all season," Florida coach Paul Maurice said. "They just haven't quit. It was the hardest part of the season and they kept getting kicked in the teeth and wouldn't quit. You want it for them so bad. We deserved that a bunch of nights this season and just didn't get it."

Craig Smith and Charlie Coyle also scored for Boston and Jeremy Swayman made 33 saves.

The Panthers got goals from Brandon Montour and Sam Bennett. Alex Lyon, Florida's usual starter for its AHL team in Charlotte, stopped 37 shots.

Coyle was credited with the goal that gave Boston a 2-1 lead late in the second period after Bennett swatted the puck out of the air and scored into his own net.

Bennett did redeem himself at 8:29 of the third, tying it with a big wrist shot from the right circle. He was able to fool Swayman a bit as he looked to pass the puck, but instead wound up and let one go from 20 feet out.

"I would have had some nightmares if we didn't get the win tonight. It was nice we got the win," Bennett said afterward. "The puck was coming across, I was just trying to bat it down, bat it into the corner where it came from. It did not come off my stick that way, went right into the net. Unfortunate play. You try to move on and not think about it. Our team did a great job of rallying."

Prior to Saturday, the Bruins had not lost to a single team twice but they lost both of their games in Sunrise to the Panthers.

The Bruins did win both meetings in Boston as the two teams split the four-game season series.

If Florida was to get into the playoffs, it would probably be as the last wild card in the Eastern Conference and a probable Round 1 date with Boston.

"It's a tough task, but that's what we want," Coyle said when asked about getting every team's best. "That is only going to make us better prepared come playoff time when every game is like that. We know everyone's going to come gunning for us and ready to play, whether they're on a back-to-back or whatever . it is up to us to bring that focus and be prepared for it. It's not going to be perfect every night."