Bruins Shutout in Loss to Devils

(Photo: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

In a rare 5:00pm start, the Boston Bruins played host the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, March 7, 2021. Warm-ups included rainbow stick tape in honor of Hockey is For Everyone. Sunday’s game also marked the fourth time these two teams have stared across the puck at each other so far this season, with the Devils carrying a 2-0-1 record into the game.

The first period saw a more confident Bruins team showing a strong forecheck that was offering no chance for the New Jersey to make breakouts. The Bruins had some good offensive zone time and were able to tie up the Devils in the neutral zone as well. Early in the period Tuukka Rask took a puck off his mask from a Michael McLeod shot. After a whistle Rask took his mask off and was checking his head for any possible injury. He didn’t find anything apparently because he was right back at it when the next puck dropped.

Urho  Vaakanainen was sent off at 7:19 for a high sticking penalty, but as the clock ticked off and he shot out of the box he picked up the puck and headed down to the Devils’ end. A similar play happened when Chris Wagner exited the box after his tripping penalty at 13:34. Neither opportunity saw joy. The Devils were unable to convert on either power play and Boston limited them to just three shots on goal during both power plays.

As the clock ticked down, while both teams had flown north and south, little had been accomplished. Brad Marchand did have a good opportunity in the slot but his stick shattered on the slapper. The teams went into the dressing rooms with no score and Boston outshooting New Jersey 12-10.

The second period saw a New Jersey team with an improved tempo and the ability to stay in the Bruins end. At one point the Bruins had two simultaneous icings—the first one simply an effort to clear the puck and stop the play. And there was a flurry of activity around Rask during the second half of the period. Once again the Bruins found themselves shorthanded when Jake DeBrusk was whistled at 9:14 for a high sticking infraction. DeBrusk was aware he had done it and actually asked Travis Zajac if he was okay after. While the Bruins had done well on the penalty kill in the first, this kill was particularly strong, denying New Jersey even one shot on the goal while they were on the power play.

With just 1:59 remaining in the period it looked like the Devils were on the scoreboard but the goal was immediately waved off—the result of a hand pass. This was certainly a lucky break for the Bruins and it took the teams into the second intermission still scoreless.

The third period saw much the same as the first two, although it was the Bruins who got a couple of power play chances. Unfortunately they were unable to convert, with Scott Wedgewood doing a good job tracking any pucks that Boston put on him. The game continued to be scoreless through the first 15 minutes and as it entered the final five minutes, it became a game of trying to get at least a point. Unfortunately for Boston the Devils managed to put a Rask rebound in the net with 4:37 remaining in regulation. Originally given to Pavel Zacha, the goal was ultimately determined to have been scored by Kyle Palmieri.

It wasn’t that the Bruins weren’t trying. They had shots on goal during both of their power plays and they continued to do a good job of maintaining offensive zone time, but those that got through to Wedgewood were gobbled up. Rask was pulled with 1:45 remaining for the extra attacker and then the Bruins used their timeout at 1:17 to try and get the tying goal to force overtime. In all Boston put 18 shots on Wedgewood in the third period alone but it was not to be.

The Bruins head back to New York to take on the New York Islanders on Tuesday and then return to TD Garden to host the New York Rangers Thursday night and a Saturday matinee.