Recap: Bruins edge out Flyers, 6-5, after rollercoaster third period

A seven-goal period had all types of momentum swings.

The Boston Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers after a wild third period which saw the team leading by three and holding onto a one-goal lead by the grit of their teeth twice.

“We have to learn you have to close out games,” Jim Montgomery said. “You can’t think it’s over. The other teams are desperate.

Charlie Coyle netted two goals in the win while Jake DeBrusk and Brad Marchand each ended the night as well with two points. Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves in the win.

But there was a lot of momentum and emotional swings during the game — predominantly in the third.

The game was tied after the first and second before the Bruins elevated their game to start the third, scoring three goals in three minutes by the 4:04 mark of the period.

But as has been the case most season, the B’s had a hard time closing out the game and the Flyers began to close the gap, beating the Bruins below the goal line and out front.

“We have to be a little better and more mature as a team to close out those games,” Montgomery said.

Nevertheless, two points secured and the Bruins move into first in the Eastern Conference, and first in the league.

Here are the highlights and there are a lot of them!

First period:

The Flyers opened the scoring at 4:18 of the first period.

On a 2-on-1, Garnet Hathaway fed a pass to Ryan Poehling for a one-timer past Jeremy Swayman’s glove. 1-0 Flyers.

The Bruins tied the game at 15:51 of the first period.

After two huge saves by Swayman on Travis Konecny, Parker Wotherspoon sent a pass to Jake DeBrusk for him and Geekie to skate down the other way. DeBrusk slid a pass to Geekie where he put a slap shot top-shelf past Sandstrom! 1-1 tie game.

Second period:

The Flyers took the lead at 12:01 of the second period.

Joel Farabee fired a long shot through traffic as time expires on the power play to beat Swayman. 2-1 Flyers.

The Bruins tied the game at 15:22 of the second period on the power play.

Brad Marchand backhanded a pass to Charlie Coyle out front for a quick shot into the net. 2-2 tie game.

Third period:

The Bruins started the third period off fast and furious, scoring their first of three goals in a three-minute span at 1:08 of the third period on Coyle’s second goal of the night.

Coyle entered the offensive zone with momentum to bring the puck to the net and roof an in-close shot past Sandstrom. 3-2 Bruins.

Another Bruins goal came at 3:45 of the third period.

Jesper Boqvist left a pass for Justin Brazeau speeding down the right boards. Brazeau found Johnny Beecher out front where he put in his rebound. 4-2 Bruins.

The Bruins scored moments later to cushion their lead at 4:04 of the third period.

Off a pass from Marchand, Jake DeBrusk gets a low wrist shot past Sandstrom. 5-2 Bruins.

But then it was the Flyers’ turn to make things interesting as the Bruins let their guard down as time ticked down in the third period.

The Flyers bounced back at 14:12 of the third period.

Nicolas Deslauriers stuffed a wrap-around shot past Swayman. 5-3 game.

The Flyers made it a one-goal game about a minute later at 15:14 of the third period.

Out front, Morgan Frost shot the puck between his legs to have the puck travel top-shelf past Swayman. 5-4 game.

The Bruins cushioned their lead in the final minutes at 17:01 of the third period.

After a Swayman save one end, the loose puck found Danton Heinen’s stick and he exploded with speed to skate down the left side and send a wrist shot off from inside the left-wing circle that traveled top-shelf past Sandstrom. 6-4 Bruins.

But again soon after, the Flyers made it a one-goal contest at 17:56 with Farabee’s second goal of the night.

From below the goal, Owen Tippett found Farabee at the post for a quick tap past Swayman to make it a 6-5 game. The Bruins staved off the Flyers for the next to minutes to make the final score: 6-5 Bruins.

Game notes:

• While the game was closer than they would have wanted it as a three-goal lead began to slip away, what was encouraging was depth of scoring playing a factor in the win. Beecher continues to have a great call-up. DeBrusk is also getting hot right now and finding the back of the net.
• What is still worrisome is obviously the Bruins’ ability to close out a game and shut down their opponents in the final minute.
• Montgomery said postgame he felt the Flyers were beating the Bruins around the net and it was something he tried to fix earlier in the game. “After the first goal, we addressed it, but it didn’t get better,” Montgomery said.
• The B’s will be facing more teams vying for a playoff spot during this stretch, who will play desperate hockey. Tonight, they faced a desperate Flyers team. Coyle and DeBrusk said postgame the team can learn from this.
• With his two goals, Coyle has now hit a career high with 23 goals this season. His highest before this season was 21 goals back in 2015-16. He’s also two points away from tying his most points in a season.
• The Bruins are back at TD Garden on Tuesday, March 19, when they host the Ottawa Senators at 7 p.m.