The 2022-23 Bruins made historical past within the common season. Now, they’re simply historical past.
The 65-win staff blew a 3-1 collection lead after which a late one-goal result in the Florida Panthers in Game 7 on the Garden on Sunday evening earlier than Carter Verhaege scored at 8:35 of time beyond regulation.
The Bruins have recognized heartbreak earlier than, however that is proper up there with their most stunning, painful playoff losses of their 99-year historical past.
But the Panthers earned each little bit of this collection, proving extra resilient than the staff that set the document for many wins and factors in a season.
If that is the final we see of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, it’s a really robust solution to exit for 2 guys who ought to have their numbers within the rafters sooner or later.
The B’s virtually obtained by means of to the following spherical.
With the Florida goalie pulled, Brandon Montour scored his second aim of the sport to tie it with 59.3 seconds left in regulation when his shot from the left circle deflected off of Charlie McAvoy’s stick and previous Jeremy Swayman to even the rating at 3-3 and ship it to OT.
That was a intestine punch to the B’s, who had performed a strong third interval.
After falling being 2-0 early within the second interval, the B’s tied it up with two power-play targets. David Krejci obtained them on the board within the second interval after which, 55 seconds into the third interval, Tyler Bertuzzi tied it when he redirected Dmitry Orlov’s shot previous Sergei Bobrovsky.
Then the B’s took their first lead of the sport 4:11. Krejci despatched Brandon Carlo off on a rush and he unleashed a slapper from properly above the precise circle. Bobrovsky kicked it out proper to David Pastrnak, who ripped it previous the flailing goalie.
Charlie McAvoy was referred to as for high-sticking with 9:12 to go in regulation, however the B’s got here up with an enormous kill and seemed like they simply may grind it out.
Orlov had an opportunity to present the B’s a two-goal lead with a rush however he hit crossbar with simply over 4 minutes left.
Taylor Hall gave the Panthers their second PP for tripping Anthony Duclair within the impartial zone and it was on that benefit that Florida took the primary lead of the sport at 12:23 of the primary interval. It seemed just like the B’s have been going to kill it off till Montour broke out of his personal zone on a purposeful rush. He performed give-and-go with Anon Lundell on the B’s blue line and Montour then beat Jeremy Swayman to the shortside on a backhander at 12:23.
That took some steam out of the raucous Garden crowd for a bit – and for good motive. The staff that had scored the primary aim had received all six of the earlier video games on this collection.
Eventually the B’s began spending some extra time within the Florida zone and had an important probability to tie it when a puck squirted out from a net-front scrum. Brandon Carlo had a good quantity of web at which to shoot, however he popped it up over the crossbar.
Then early within the second interval, the B’s routine lack of ability to get out of their zone stung them once more. After a borderline icing name introduced the puck again into the B’s zone, Garnet Hathaway tried a gentle one-hand chip to get the puck previous the left level but it surely was turned again. Then Aaron Ekblad stepped in entrance of Trent Frederic to maintain the puck in on the opposite aspect of the ice. Eventually, Eetu Luostarinen fed Sam Reinhart for a wrister from the precise circle that Swayman’s glove couldn’t catch as much as, making it a two-goal recreation at 1:14 of the second.
A pall of uneasiness enveloped the Garden at that time and the B’s seemed rattled. They missed easy passes and frequently turned the puck over.
That continued after David Pastrnak drew a tripping penalty on Marc Staal. But with 11 seconds left on the benefit, Krejci blasted a one-timer from a Dmitry Orlov cross and beat Sergei Bobrovsky to the shortside to make 2-1 at 7:52.
The B’s earned one other energy play late within the interval when Montour crosschecked Tyler Bertuzzi, however the B’s might do nothing with it.
They obtained one other with 44 seconds left within the interval when Montour was referred to as for roughing on Pastrnak. They would even it up on the opposite aspect within the third interval.
Source: www.bostonherald.com
