Perfect wouldn’t be one of the best ways to explain the Bruins’ total recreation proper now. But their file by way of three video games? Yes, it’s certainly simply that.
The B’s improved to 3-0 with a 5-3 victory over the defending Presidents Trophy-winning Florida Panthers on the Garden on Monday.
Neither crew was at full energy, nevertheless it was enjoyable, aggressive recreation between two of the highest Atlantic Division groups that noticed Jake DeBrusk notched a objective and a fairly help within the victory.
While nonetheless hamstrung on the again finish with accidents to Brandon Carlo, Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy, the B’s did get a pleasant shock up entrance when DeBrusk was able to go. He had suffered an obvious hand/wrist damage within the season opener and, as of Sunday, it appeared he’d be out for no less than one other recreation.
But not solely was DeBrusk within the lineup (rookie Jakub Lauko was scratched), however he determined to not wait until post-game to have fun his twenty sixth birthday. On the primary shift of the sport, he deflected a low-to-high cross supposed for Gustav Forsling out of the zone. As Forlsing fumbled with the puck simply exterior the Boston blue line, DeBrusk poked it away and he was off on a breakaway. He then ripped a wrister previous goalie Sergei Bobrovsky for his first of the 12 months simply 21 seconds into the sport.
It was a enjoyable first interval as each groups took their turns making a push. The B’s discovered themselves in some peril once they took consecutive penalties, leading to a 23 second 5-on-3. But the B’s penalty kill was sharp and one of the best scoring likelihood of the state of affairs got here on a Boston shorthanded bid when Pavel Zacha fed DeBrusk on a 2-on-1 however DeBrusk couldn’t slide a backhander previous Bobrovsky.
Shots on web have been 11-11 within the first interval, with the B’s holding a 22-15 complete shot lead.
But the B’s did have some ongoing points on their breakouts within the first interval and, within the second, it got here again to chunk them.
The B’s began the interval on the power-play and got here inside inches of taking a two-goal lead when Patrice Bergeron’s deflection of a Mike Reilly hit the publish.
Then at 4:32, the Panthers evened it up. Zacha was trying a cross-ice diagonal pas that was picked off by Mathew Tkachuk and Florida went on the counter-attack. Eventually, Tkachuk made a terrific cross from excessive on he proper wing to Sam Bennett down low for a tap-in on the left aspect of the crease.
Disaster practically struck once more on the breakout when a Charlie Coyle backahnd cross in th impartial zone went off a skate and went again the opposite manner, giving Sam Reinhart a clear breakaway however Linus Ullmark got here up with a terrific glove save.
Off the following faceoff, DeBrusk’s jets paid off but once more. The Panthers gained the draw however Aaron Eckblad couldn’t management it. DeBrusk churned his legs and nearly had a breakaway however Forsling was no less than in a position to lower that off. DeBrusk caught with the play, nonetheless, and made an excellent backhand cross to Bergeron for the objective 12:35.
The B’s weren’t the one crew taking part in at under full energy. The Panthers began the sport with 5 defensemen when Brandon Montour was a late scratch and, after Bergeron’s objective, Eckblad left the sport.
And the B’s did certainly surge within the third interval. Their assault induced an early power-play on which they may not money in. But shortly after the Panthers obtained their man again, David Pastrnak stretched the result in two targets on a fairly play, turning Marc Staal inside out earlier than beating Bobrovsky at 4:52.
Trent Frederic then made it a three-goal lead at 7:29 left with a wraparound, the B’s twelfth goalscoeer in three video games.
But it wasn’t over. Twenty-seven seconds later, the Panthers obtained one again when a Forsling pea from the blue line beat Ullmark over the glove.
Then after Pastrnak took an offensive zone penalty, the Panthers pulled Bobrovsky. They did’ rating on the power-play however, with 1:37 left, Colin White obtained behind Ullmark to jam dwelling a unfastened puck.
But DeBrusk lastly ended with an empty-netter with 1:03 remaining.
Source: www.bostonherald.com