Bruins/Islanders: Game 3

As the series shifts over to Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY for game 3 of the highly contested series between the Bruins and Islanders, one of the big questions that loomed was the health of Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask. As pucks drops it's clear that this contest will be a low offense, physical, goaltenders' duel. Six minutes into the game, freshly reinserted Craig Smith roofs one over Varlamov, getting the Bruins on the board first, 1-0. The low offense and big-time goaltending continued all the way into the third with only six and a half minutes left in regulation, when Matthew Barzal manages to jam one home to finally get the Islanders on the board and tie the game 1-1, sending the game to overtime for the second game in a row. Brandon Carlo also left the game in the third, after a hit on the glass that had him come up woozy. The extra frame seems to be all Islanders, when Brad Marchand fresh on the ice finds a puck that he promptly brings up ice and fires a bad angle shot that finds the far end of the ner for the 2-1 game winning bruins goal. Bruins win and outshoot the Islanders 41-29.

Bruins Qualify For Playoffs + Season Wrap

The Bruins and Buffalo Sabres square off at the Boston Garden for the final time this season. Craig Smith gets the Bruins on the board right away at the 1:21 mark with a tip-in shot from Krecji and Hall, 1-0 Bruins. Sabres, even the score on a score after a breakaway chance right out of the box, tied 1-1. With a little more than four minutes left on the first, Sean Kuraly scores his first goal on 31 games on a feed from Nick Ritchie to put the Bruins ahead 2-1. Captain Patrice Bergeron makes it 3-1 on a deflected shot, five and a half minutes into the second, and then Nick Ritchie comes through with a tuck of his own, a tip-in shot from Matt Grezclyk, a little over 3 minutes into the third. About 2 minutes later, Craig Smith adds his second of the game, a wrist shot after a dish from Mike Riley to make the score 5-1 Bruins. Sabers attempt to mount their ill-fated comeback a minute and a half later, finding the back of the net cutting it to 5-2 Bruins. Craig Smith completes his hat trick with six minutes left in regulation, another tip-in shot. Smith's second career hat trick. Bruins win 6-2!

On Monday, May 3rd, the Bruins traveled to New Jersey to take on the Devil's at the Prudential Center. The Bruins dominated the pace of play, outshooting New Jersey 29-8 in the first period and 42-20 overall. The Bruins got offensive contributions from Nick Ritchie, Patrice Bergeron, and Matt Grezclyk, two snapshots, and a slapper resulting, Zorbil, Kuraly, Bergeron, and Marchand (x2), all with apples, in 3-0 shutout for Boston. The game saw its first penalty at the 13:18 mark of the third when A.J. Greer boards Jakub Zorbil and is forced to answer a bell, chucking knucks against Connor Clifton; Zorbil returned soon after, appearing unscathed. Tuukka Rask records his 52nd career shutouts, and with the win, the Bruins qualify for the playoffs for the 5th straight season.

In the second game of the series, The Bruins chose to keep Jaroslav Halak fresh with a look instead of riding the young hot hand of Jeremy Swayman in net. The devil's hit the back of the net first with a powerplay shot right off the face-off at 11:18 of the first period, 1-0 Devils. The Bruins find the equalizer in the second period with a powerplay goal of their own when Pastrnak stick-shattered pass to Bergeron that he finishes to knot it all at 1. Around ten minutes of play pass when Taylor Hall tips in his own pass from Matt Grezclyk as he is upended in a brilliant play, 2-1 Bruins. Five or so later, after a defensive breakdown in front of the net, the Devil's put it home to even the game at 2. A minute and a half later, the puck rolls around the left end board where Nick Ritchie throws it out to the front of the crease where puck battle ensues until Sean Kuraly deposits his second goal in three games and thrust the Bruins ahead 3-2. It would, unfortunately, be the last Bruins goal of the night as the Devils come screaming back, scoring the final two on the answered goals, including the game-winner in overtime at the 2:42 mark of the extra frame. Bruins drop an embarrassing effort 4-3. Quite possibly the last time we see Halak dress in a Bruins uniform.

The Bruins welcome an emotionally spent Rangers team into the Garden, a game after their highly contested series against Washington, which garnered many reactions from across the league. The Bruins turned back to their young, hot stud Jeremy Swayman. The Bruins start their assault about seven minutes into the first period when Marchand dekes out four Rangers defenders to find Bergeron out front, who deposits it in the top corner of the net for the 1-0 Bruins lead. Later on, while on the powerplay in the waning moments of the period, Charlie MacAvoy with a rocket beats Ranger goaltender Georgiev with the man advantage and again Marchand with the apple, 2-0 Bruins. Then about six minutes gone in the second, Jake DeBrusk skates in and, with a wicked wrister, makes it 3-0 Bruins, getting the monkey off his back. His first score in 13 games. Brandon Carlo, who has missed 28 games this season, kicks off the third period with his third goal of the season, skating around the boards and banking a shot of the back of the New York goaltender. Bruins win 4-0, Jeremy Swayman records his second career shutout.

In the second game of the series, the Bruins seemed to come out with good legs under them, but we're trying to do too much, whether it was one pass too many or an errant stick in the play that didn't need to be there. Tuukka Rask is back in net, Bruins with solid, grade-A chances in the first, but it's the Rangers who get on the board first six minutes into the second. Bruins find the equalizer at the 18:12 mark on a Nick Ritchie wrister evening, the score 1-1 heading to the third. Twenty-one seconds into hird, David Pastrnak makes it 2-1 Bruins with a tip-in shot from Marchand, but the Rangers seem up to the task, compiled with a crumbling Bruins defense scoring the next three unanswered goals on four shots, 4-2 Rangers. Brad Marchand comes through with a powerplay goal from Krecji with six minutes left in regulation to pull it close 4-3 Rangers. More defensive miscommunication leads to another Rangers goal. Thirty seconds later, Bergeron adds the last Bruins offensive output they can manage to muster up. Bruins lose 5-4.

Bruins welcomed Ondrej Kase back to the lineup and also welcomed an early-season bane of their existence, but a foe they have fared well against as of late. While the Bruins have gone 10-3 since the trade deadline, the Islanders have only gone 5-6. If there is anything dire to do against the Islanders, it is to score first, and that is precisely what the Bruins managed to do with 39 seconds left in the first period when Taylor Hall buries a 5-3 powerplay goal from Krecji, where on the same play Marchand is slashed, and Pastrnak received the butt end of a stick to the chest from Leo Komarov, 1-0 Bruins. The Islanders answer right back with a powerplay goal of their own with less than 2 minutes gone in the second period. Less than five minutes later, Brad Marchand adds his 29th goal of the season, a tip-in shot from David Krecji, 2-1 Bruins. Before the start of the third period, it is announced that Kase would not be returning to the game. Matt Barzal re-ties the game a little less than 2 minutes later at 2, roofing a wrist shot over Rask's head. The two teams extend the game to the extra frame. Taylor Hall grabs a pass from Krecji at the redline and powers his way into the zone from the left hash marks, skating through the Islanders defense, putting one past stick-side for the game-winning goal! With that win, the Bruins secured the third seed in the Atlantic division and are set to face the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs.

In the final game of the season, a makeshift Bruins lineup squared off against the foe they are set to meet in the first round of the playoffs, the Washington capitals. The Bruins put out a lineup, resting most all of their regular starters, putting a lineup on the ice of fourth-liners, call-ups, and prospects of the future. Both teams played a heavy game with lots of promise of the future. The game remained a scoreless affair until a little past Midway point of the second period, when Jarred Tinordi skates to the back of the net and finds Curtis Lazar for the goal in front, 1-0 Bruins. About 6 minutes later, Washington answers back with the only way they know how to beat Jeremy Swayman, and that's with a dirty, grimy goal. This young inexperienced Bruins squad shows that they can hang with the everyday mainstays of the Caps, all the way down to the last 2 seconds of regulation. Washington's Raffl fires in a terrible angled shot that manages to go in and out high bar. Bruins lose a heartbreaker of a regular-season finale 2-1. The two teams are set to start their playoff series on Saturday, 5/15. The Bruins finish the regular season at 33-16-7 with 73 points, good for 3rd in the Mass Mutual Atlantic Division.

Bruins Return from Covid, Vladar Shines Again but Mediocre Play Continues

If there has been anything that has been a constant thorn in the Boston Bruins' side this season, it has been the New York Islanders. Thursday, March 25th, their first game in a week, fresh off their league-mandated covid-quarantine. The Bruins welcomed those very Islanders to the TD Bank Garden with Tuukka Rask back in net for the Black & Gold. The Bruins found themselves quickly up 2-0 with strikes by Kuhlman and Kampfer but soon found themselves looking at a tie game with 2 goals by the Islanders, one in the second and again another in the third after Halak Replaces Rask on goal after the first. The Islanders go ahead late in the third only to give up the game-tying goal to Bjork to give the game into overtime. The Islanders make quick work of the Bruins in the extra period by a score of 4-3, a frustrating loss, to say the least.

In a Saturday matinee affair, the Bruins welcomed Jeremy Lauzon back into the lineup for the first time since Lake Tahoe. The Bruins also welcomed the lowly Buffalo Sabres to the garden, where rookie netminder Dan Vladar made his second start of the season. Early on, we learn that Brad Marchand would not be available for the contest, for he had joined Jake Debrusk and Sean Kuraly, who have remained on the covid protocol list. Buffalo takes advantage of a powerplay late in the first before Matt Gryzclyk ties it in the second, his 2nd goal of the season. Shortly after that, Buffalo makes it 2-1 on a backhand shot by Kyle Okposo. That's before, in the third, a beautiful feed from McAvoy's stick finds the tape of Nick Ritchie's, who puts it home for his 9th goal of the season. Craig Smith adds his 6th goal of the season to seal the win, 3-2 Bruins!

Sometimes the inexplicable is exactly just that, inexplicable. Which sums up my feelings about the Bruins' season-long struggles with the New Jersey Devils, and no disrespect to them but a team Boston should handle every single time. Sunday afternoon, March 28th, Jersey rolls into town for a 2-game affair. A goaltender's duel and defensive effort with neither side giving up many chances besides a Kyle Palmieri tip in the first. That was until 1:10 left in regulation with the goalie pulled; David Krecji jars a puck lose from under goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood's glove, which Patrice Bergeron promptly puts home for the game-tying goal. Upon further review, it was determined Krecji's stick pushed blackwood's glove to free the puck, no goal for goaltender interference, a tough break Boston Bruins. Blackwood then solidifies the 1-0 Devils win and shuts the door with an unreal kick save as time expired.

Those pesky Devils returned to the garden for the second game of the series, with Brad Marchand and Brandon Carlo making their much-needed returns to the team. Devils get on the board not even 1:30 into the match by Devils public nuisance #1 Miles Wood, with the Bruins soon thereafter scoring their first 5-on-5 goal of the season against New Jersey by Nick Ritchie tying the game. Devils go ahead on a breakaway halfway through the period to put the score 2-1 going into the second. The second kicks off with a Bruins no-goal call by Matt Gryzclyk, and then New Jersey adds to their lead not 4 minutes later, 3-1 Devils. Brad Marchand delivers a crushing hit behind the New Jersey net, which Jesper Bratty takes exception with. The two drop the gloves before Marchand judo-flips Bratty to the ice, jumping on top of him with some finishing blows. The scrum really seems to change the trajectory of the game. A minute out of the box, Marchand sets up Bergeron, who beats Blackwood for the 3-2 score. Just over a minute later, Kyle Palmieri adds to New Jerseys' lead 4-2. In the 3rd period, Charlie MacAvoy inches the Bruins closer 4-3 with a score off a Craig Smith rebound, who also provides the assist on Matt Gryzclyk's game-tying goal with 4 minutes left in regulation to force the overtime. Neither team is able to breakthrough in the extra period; David Pastrnak ends the game in the second round of the shootouts for a hard-fought 5-4 Bruins win!

Chara Returns to Boston, Wilson's Dirty Hit on Carlo and Inconsistent Play Continues

A few days before the game, we saw the Bruins make a roster move, claiming Jarred Tinordi from the Nashville Predators to sure up the backend of their blueline due to numerous injuries as of late. Next up, we saw longtime Bruins captain Zdeno Chara return to Boston with the Washington Capital in town for a 2-game set. Washington gets on the board first with a goal that is overturned after review. Shots on goal were at a premium, for the Bruins did not have a shot on goal until the 15:28 mark of the 1st period. The game highlight is Trent Frederic repeatedly getting under Ovechkin's skin, who eventually spears Frederic in the groin and is subsequently fined for it. The Bruins finally breakthrough at 1:19 of the third by David Pastrnak but ultimately drop a 2-1 shootout loss.

The second game of the series was a contest marred in controversy. Brad Marchand sets off the scoring at the 14:21 mark of the first. Shortly after that, at the 18:50 mark, Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals delivers a headshot on Brand Carlo that sent the Bruins defenseman out of the game and to the hospital. Come the second period Wilson was required to answer for his transgressions with an evenly matched tilt with newly acquired bruins Jarred Tinordi, sending both men to the box for five for Fighting. Bruins soon rallied off 5 straight goals. Winning the affair handily by a 5-1 final score, but not before Tom Wilson was required to drop his gloves, yet again this time with Trent Frederic, their second bout of the season. After the game, Tom Wilson was issued a 7-game suspension for his hit on Carlo.

The next game on the docket was Saturday, March 7th, when the Bruins traveled to New Jersey for a frustrating 1-0 loss where the Bruins put 40 shots on goal but could get anything against Devils' rookie netminder Scott Wedgewood. Next up was a similarly frustrating loss to the Islanders, where we saw the Bruins drop a 2-1 affair in the shootout where they were without half their starting six defensemen. The Bruins need to eventually figure out the secret to taking down this Islanders team.

Beautiful Lake Tahoe & The First Slump of the Season

Before they left for the sun-filled paradise known as Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada. The Bruins found themselves on a 2-game skid. A previously mentioned 4-2 loss to the Islanders and a 3-2 loss to New Jersey. Maybe a team bonding getaway was precisely what was in order.

The Bruins arrived in Lake Tahoe rockin' retro-90's garb and the debit of their Adidas retro reverse jerseys. An NHL hockey game has never seen such a serene setting of snow, mountain rang,e and water. The Bruins came to Tahoe to play after a 7-3shellackingg of the Philadelphia Flyers, thanks in part to David Pastrnak's second hat trick of the season and the 10th of his career. Not to mention the 1st career goal of Trent Frederic's career.

The soaring highs of Tahoe were soon erased when the Bruins found themselves right back in the middle of their first slump of the season, losing 3 of 4 and then 4 of 5 to the Islanders and Rangers. With Bruin's goaltending giving up a season-high 13 goals in 2 games.

The Bruins arrived in Madison Square Garden for a matinee rematch against the Rangers, a much different team. The story of the game was Nick Ritchie falling on to Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev's head on some incidental contact inside the crease, setting up the first goal of the game by Charlie Coyle. The Rangers end up pulling Georgiev in favor of Igor Shestyorkin. The Bruins go on to a comfortable 4-1 victory but not before Nick Richie has to answer a bell with Brendan Lemieux with only 2 seconds left in the game. The first of Ritchie's Bruins career and a real lousy look by Lemieux, in my opinion.