Recap: Bruins edged out by Kings, 5-4, in OT

B’s couldn’t hold onto the lead with desperate Kings’ play.

The Boston Bruins fell 5-4 to the LA Kings in overtime this afternoon as they couldn’t close out the game, allowing a late third-period goal on the penalty kill which forced extra minutes and the Kings’ eventual win.

“You’ve got to close out a game,” Montgomery said. “You’re up twice in the third period. We don’t close it out. And in the overtime, our power play has to put it away.”

The Bruins have now dropped four in a row.

Despite two goals from James van Riemsdyk — and a power-play goal — the Bruins lacked game management at the end.

The Kings came back to tie the game three different times, and like Montgomery said, twice in the third period alone.

Here are the highlights:

First period:

The Bruins open the scoring at 8:03 of the first period.

Trent Frederic put an in-close wrist shot on net. James van Riemsdyk found his rebound, collected the puck and lifted a shot top-shelf with David Rittich still on the ice. 1-0 Bruins.

The Bruins had a David Pastrnak goal 27 seconds later called back for goaltender interference.

The Kings tied the game at 11:02 of the first period.

Matt Roy threw a backhander on net from a hard angle that bounced off Ullmark and in. 1-1 tie game.

The Bruins took the lead at 14:45 of the first period on the power play.

Seven seconds into their man-advantage, van Riemsdyk picked up Charlie McAvoy’s rebound and put a backhander past Rittich from the top of the paint. 2-1 Bruins.

Second period:

The Bruins took a two-goal lead at 13:04 of the second period.

From behind the goal, Jesper Boqvist sent a pass out front which at the top of the paint found the stick of Anthony Richard where he threw a wrist shot into the back of the net. 3-1 Bruins.

The Kings cut into their deficit at 16:31 of the second period.

Vladislav Gavrikov sent a long wrist shot from the point on net which traveled past Ullmark’s blocker. 3-2 game.

Third period:

The Kings tied the game at 5:51 of the third period.

Alex Laferriere stuffed home the puck in the paint after Pierre-Luc Dubois got the puck to the net. 3-3 tie game.

The Bruins regained the lead at 7:11 of the third period.

Trent Frederic followed up on Morgan Geekie’s shot to pot in the rebound out front. 4-3 Bruins.

The Kings evened the game yet again at 18:25 of the third period.

Drew Doughty sent a wrist shot on net from the blue line which Anze Kopitar tipped-in out front. 4-4 tie game.

Overtime:

The Kings won the game at 4:33 of overtime.

Fresh out of the box, Brandt Clarke found himself on a breakaway to beat Ullmark low past his left skate. Final score: 5-4 Kings.

Game notes:

• Montgomery said the Bruins added to their problems during the game, with breakdowns within their structure. He said the team also lacked execution and the ability to match the desperation of the Kings.
• He said this has been the case for this homestand, as they’ve been playing teams on the playoff bubble, fighting to secure their postseason. The Bruins have lacked that same desperate hockey to close out games in the third period while their opponents, like the Kings, have rallied.
• There are positives though out of today’s game. Anthony Richard netted his first goal as a Bruin and really gelled with his line. Another line which obviously came up huge was the third line and arguably the best line today. Outside of 5v5, JVR scored the power play goal by parking himself out front. On 5v5, the line had two goals and had the best net front presence. Trent Frederic also had a Gordie Howe hat trick.
• The power play finally picked up a goal after going 0 for 15 previously. However, like the lack of close out, the power play had the chance in overtime to end things, but didn’t move the puck quick enough to open space in the offensive zone. The OT power play had maybe one really solid look.
• But the PK in the final minutes of the game also left Kopitar unmanned out front as Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort head toward the boards and couldn’t pick him up in time…
• The Bruins close out the seven-game homestand on Monday, Feb. 19 against the Dallas Stars at 1 p.m.