Back to .500!
Brad Marchand’s overtime heroics lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday at the TD Garden.
“His ability to recover and just keep going on the second and third effort, it needs to become contagious,” Jim Montgomery said about Marchand.
The win wasn’t a complete 60 minutes from the B’s, set back with a still-struggling power play and blown two-goal lead.
Despite the shortcomings, the Bruins got the message to send pucks and bodies to the net. It rewarded them with three even-strength tallies and several near chances.
The Bruins got on the board quickly in the first period as Hampus Lindholm engaged early on the offensive. But the lead was short-lived as a long shot from the Flames 19 seconds later tied the game.
The B’s added a pair of second-period goals within 31 seconds and maintained the two-goal lead through the middle frame.
But Marchand took an early third period tripping penalty which lead to a power-play goal within the first minute.
Nazem Kadri added another to tie the game. Marchand had a chance on a late-period power play, but hit the post before he would get the game-winner nearly five minutes later in OT.
Here are the highlights!
First period:
David Pastrnak found Hampus Lindholm skating to the slot where he lifted a backhander past Dustin Wolf at 2:04 of the first period. 1-0 Bruins.
But just like that the Flames tied it up with a long shot from the point by Tyson Barrie at 2:23 of the first period. 1-1 game.
Second period:
Off the rush, Pavel Zacha knocked down a pass from Pastrnak in the slot to beat Wolf’s blocker at 8:25 of the second period. 2-1 Bruins.
Charlie Coyle found Cole Koepke at the far post where he tapped in the pass at 8:56 of the second period. 3-1 Bruins.
Third period:
Marchand got called for roughing nine seconds into the third. Another long shot, this time From the point, Mackenzie Weegar, through traffic, fired a shot at Korpisalo. Yegor Sharangovich tipped it and beat Korpisalo’s glove 58 seconds into the third period on the power play. 3-2 game.
Nazem Kadri sent a wrist shot over Korpisalo’s left shoulder and under the post at 9:55 of the third period. 3-3 tie game.
Overtime:
After winning a battle behind the net, Elias Lindholm dished a pass to Marchand out front who potted in his rebound with a backhand at 4:40 of overtime. Final score: 4-3 Bruins.
Game notes:
- Korpisalo looked good tonight. He said postgame the first goal was on him. Jim Montgomery said the goaltender made some timely saves in the second period which helped the B’s hold onto the lead at that point.
- The Bruins had — count ‘em — three 5v5 goals tonight. And they were all the product of really strong passing and rushes.
- It wasn’t a perfect game, but definitely a step in the right direction especially with production from the top lines. David Pastrnak ended the night with a goal and assist, Zacha scored and picked up an assist on the Bruins’ opening goal, Elias Lindholm assisted on Marchand’s game-winner, Charlie Coyle had a point and Marchand collected yet another OT goal.
- The Bruins had their most shots on net this season at 39.
- Postgame soundbite: “I think that we’re building a little bit of confidence every single game in our system and the way that we need to play,” Marchand said. “We’re starting to build some chemistry through out the lineup.”
- Marchand now has 21 career OT goals and this was his second of the season. The other OT goal also came in a 4-3 overtime win — against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Similarly, the Bruins were leading, but then gave up a late third-period goal which forced overtime. After the game, Marchand talked about strategy in OT: “There’s a lot more space and a lot of trying to choose out space so you can take advantage of that.”
- The Bruins will face the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, Nov. 9 at the TD Garden at 7 p.m.