Boston Gets Needed Win Against Devils

(Photo: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

In the sixth of eight games between the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils, Boston came out with a bit of urgency and it looked like perhaps they were tired of being walked all over by the Devils. However, once again New Jersey was on the scoreboard first. Miles Wood got a pass from P.K. Subban who kept a turnover in the offensive end and Jaroslav Halak either wasn’t ready or expected the puck to do something else. It was the Devils’ first shot of the night on Halak, making it all the more ignominious. At that point the Bruins had been controlling the pace of the opening period and giving Mackenzie Blackwood some rubber to track.

Approximately four and a half minutes later, with a fluke bounce of the puck, the Bruins managed to tie the game. Nick Ritchie’s shot was gloved by Blackwood and then it bounced out of his glove and behind him into the goal. Ritchie’s goal was assisted by David Krejci and Craig Smith.

One would have expected the goal to give the Bruins some confidence and a bit more jump, but instead their passes were incomplete and some of the players were showing a definite lack of urgency during their shifts. It was difficult to tell if Boston was playing man-on-man or zone or just winging it. Given the style of play it was not surprising when New Jersey got the go-ahead goal at 9:34 of the first period, when Michael McLeod basically had a wide-open basket to score on, the result of Halak’s inability to push off and get to the other side of his net. He was assisted by Jesper Boqvist and Ryan Murray.

The second period saw the Devils get their third goal of the game within the first five minutes of the middle frame. Travis Zajac put it past Halak with assists from Jesper Bratt and Murray. The Bruins continued to give New Jersey plenty of opportunities entering the Bruins end, though fortunately no more goals were scored even during a a power play that New Jersey got when Brad Marchand was whistled for a roughing during a little scrum that even saw Patrice Bergeron taking no lip from the opposition.

As the period continued, the Bruins simply couldn’t maintain any sustained possession of the puck. In some cases it was bad passes while in others it was good defensive play by the Devils.

Roughly a minute after Marchand had exited the box he was skating right back toward it, this timing having received a matching roughing penalty with Bratt after a little scrum in which gloves were shed and Marchand flipped Bratt onto the ice.

Then with 53 seconds remaining of the ensuing four-on-four Subban was sent off for a slash giving the Bruins some four-on-three time before Marchand and Bratt exited their respected boxes. Marchand gave the Bruins a power play goal to get back within one goal at 15:48, assisted by Bergeron and Krejci but the joy was short lived. In what has become a recurring theme as the Bruins play the Devils in this unique season, Kyle Palmieri, unassisted, slipped one past Halak, short side, regaining the two-goal lead for the Devils. As the teams went off for the second intermission the Bruins found themselves down 4-2 against a team that they have struggled with all season.

It is unknown if Marchand’s truculence made an appearance in the dressing room between the second and the third period, but Boston came out with a bit more fire in their belly. Charlie Coyle got a breakaway within seconds of the first puck drop of the final twenty minutes, but Blackwood was there to glove it—continuing to show his amazing abilities between the pipes for New Jersey. As the period progressed the Bruins were outshooting the Devils 8-2 in the first seven minutes and would eventually outshoot New Jersey 19-9 in the final frame.

Throughout the period the Bruins still continued to struggle with passing and clearing the defensive zone. Fortunately, Halak had decided to close the door at his end.

Meanwhile the question has to be asked what might be done with some of the young Bruins players who seem unable to finish shots or keep possession of the puck. Too many turnovers again from many of the players in black and gold.

At 10:22 of the third Charlie McAvoy got the Bruins within one, assisted by Smith and Marchand. While Damon Severson sat for two minutes at 13:43, for a high stick that he definitely felt he hadn’t done, Boston once again showed there are difficulties on the power play. They certainly aren’t as woeful as the 2011 Bruins, but it is troubling and something that needs to be addressed. Though Boston was unable to convert on the man advantage, going 1-3 on the power play, Matt Grzelcyk tied the game with a nice shot from the top of the slot, at 16:00, assisted by Smith and Krejci, giving Krejci three assists for three points in the game. Then began the torturous waiting game to see if Boston could keep things knotted and take the game to overtime.

Of course, 18 seconds after Grzelcyk tied the game, Bergeron was sent off for a hooking penalty which had plenty of people holding their breath.  Boston did manage to deny them much opportunity, with New Jersey getting just one shot on Halak in their power play. After Bergeron’s penalty was killed, the Bruins hung on for the remainder of regulation to ensure at least one point from the game.

While in overtime, Boston put four shots on Blackwood which was impressive since they spent two minutes of the final 2:13 on the penalty kill after McAvoy was sent off for a slashing penalty. In the end the game would have to be decided by a shootout. Halak stoned both Pavel Zacha and Palmieri while both Coyle and David Pastrnak slid pucks by Blackwood’s left toe to grab the much needed second point.