Recap: DeBrusk’s OT goal gives the Bruins a 2-1 win in Montreal

It was a quick one!

It was another overtime game, but at least this one was quick!

Jake DeBrusk and Brad Marchand perfectly executed a 2-on-1 that led to DeBrusk’s winner just 25 seconds into overtime, sending the Bruins home happy with a 2-1 win at the Bell Centre.

Danton Heinen got the scoring started when he put in the hockey version of a fadeaway jumper from the top of the crease to make it 1-0 Bruins early in the first.

About ten minutes later, Juraj Slafkovsky and Nick Suzuki took advantage of a Brandon Carlo turnover, leading to a Suzuki goal that made it a 1-1 game.

That would be the end of the scoring until overtime!

After Mike Matheson attempted to take the puck around the net, Hampus Lindholm shut him down in the corner, eventually leading to the DeBrusk-Marchand 2-on-1 that ended the game.

2-1, Bruins win.

Game notes

• I guess we shouldn’t be surprised it came to this, as the Bruins lead the league in OT/shootout games and the Canadiens are in the top five.
• This game was a bit of a slog at times, particularly in the thrilling second period, which featured 11 shots combined. That included three power play opportunities (two for Montreal, one for the Bruins). Not exactly an offensive explosion.
• Lindholm made a couple of great plays prior to the game-winning goal. First, he stopped Matheson’s progress and prevented him from cycling/retaining possession. Next, he stuck with the play and managed to push a loose puck forward before Cole Caufield could interfere. Those two plays led directly to the game-winner from…
• Jake DeBrusk! That was about as good as a 2-on-1 gets, with a perfect pass from Marchand perfectly controlled by DeBrusk. DeBrusk also deserves credit for his work without the puck prior to the winner, both in terms of keeping Matheson outside and then assisting Lindholm in the corner.
• Per Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Heinen became the fifth Bruin since 2005 to score four goals against Montreal during the same season. Pastrnak with a casual eight season series goals in 2019-2020 is something else.
• Heinen’s goal was a tap-in (albeit a slightly more difficult one), but he earned it by getting himself to the right part of the ice and parking there. He continues to make smart plays in all three zones and continues to be amongst the league’s best bargain signings.
• Andrew Peeke was fine in his Bruins debut, skating 17:01. He generally looked decent.
• Charlie McAvoy was a workhorse again tonight, skating 23:23. That’s over three minutes more TOI than Lindholm, who was second on the team.
• Speaking of workhorses, Matheson skated a whopping 28:28 in regulation.
• While he wasn’t exactly under siege all night, Linus Ullmark had a good game in net, making 18 saves. He made one or two big ones in the final minute or so of regulation, when Montreal was applying pressure.

That’s it for the season series! The Bruins go 3-0-1 against Montreal on the year, with both games in Quebec ending in OT.

The B’s will be back at it on Saturday, hosting the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden.