The Boston Bruins were challenged tonight after an excellent effort on home ice against the much-improved Detroit Red Wings, but after David Pastrnak scored his seventh and eight goals of the season in the third period and in rare fashion – a penalty shot and a bank-shot clearing pass that found the vacated Detroit net – the Bruins held ontp a 4-1 victory.
Game summary:
THIRD PERIOD
The Bruins needed Swayman early in the third period after Brandon Carlo’s outlet pass was cut off at the left point and Detroit wound up with a goalmouth shot.
The Red Wings finally got on the board on a pretty shot by Joe Veleno, and Detroit continued to press, for the first time lending the same old concern of a third-period collapse. Kostin hit the inside of the left post, the puck screaming out behind Swayman on the other side, the ring loud enough for all to hear (I heard it).
Ben Chiarot and Derek Forbort jostled at the Boston net and after Chiarot threw an open-hand left into Forbort’s mug, the two were sent to matching minors.
Jake Walman hooked Pastrnak on a breakaway at 11:19, and the play was called for a penalty shot. Pastrnak, cool as a cuke, deked Husso and lifted the puck glove side to restore Boston’s two-goal lead.
Swayman made a nice squeeze on a screen shot from the left point by Walman, and the Red Wings kept the faith.
A hard game was played most in Boston’s end for the third period, but with 2:19 remaining in regulation Pastrnak iced the outcome with a bank shot off the boards meant to avoid an icing. It found the net, 4-1.
SECOND PERIOD
Woll went out for tripping Jake DeBrusk, interrupting what had started out as a push-back period for Detroit. The Bruins had their chances but not great ones. The best one: by Andrew Copp cutting in along on Swayman, who turned away the former Winnipeg Jet.
Oscar Steen went off for hooking at 10:05, putting Detroit on the powerplay.
The Bruins got the puck out after a D-zone faceoff resulting from an icing that Marchand disputed on the basis that he got a touch on the puck after Zacha relayed a clearing pass beyond center (Rink Rap thinks a replay will agree with Marchand).
With 3:23 in the second, the Bruins have held off a hard effort by the Red Wings to dig their way back into this hockey game. (I wasn’t finished typing this sentence when Trent Frederick was whistled off three second later for high sticking.)
Great work by Poitras in the final minute, keeping a possession alive in the offensive zone. He took a whack on the hand to get a shot away entering the zone (no call), and did excellent work after that to keep giving the Bruins chances. It was the second shift of the period where he made terrific plays at the tail end.
Still 2-0.
Shots after two: 23-13 Bruins.
FIRST PERIOD
A quick start by the top line of Pavel Zacha between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, but a turnover at the Detroit blue line led to a counterattack by the Wings. No shots out of it, but starter Jeremy Swayman was briefly under siege.
Alex DeBrincat got away with a hook on Charlie McAvoy, one can only assume because he was unsuccessful and lost his feet on the play. But his action disrupted McAvoy sufficiently to cause the Bruins problems requiring Swayman to make his first save of the night on Dylan Larkin from point-blank range.
The bruins had the fans on their feet with a 3-on-1 break, but McAvoy was whistled off for interference, putting Detroit on the powerplay.
Big forward Michael Rasmussen went off for boarding Matt Poitras at 8:50. David Pastrnak executed a gorgeous shot-pass to James van Riemsdyk, who misfired on his attempt to redirect.
Pavel Zacha finished with 17 seconds remaining on Rasmussen’s penalty in one of Boston’s more impressive powerplays of the last few seasons. 1-0 Boston.
McAvoy, carrying deep into the right corner, sharply turned to the Detroit net and made it 2-0 with 5:24 remaining in the period. Patrick Brown did a brilliant job boxing out Detroit defenseman Justin Woll.
Andrew Copp went to the penalty box 20 seconds later, and the Bruins’ best period of the season suddenly had another opportunity to get better.
After the penalty, Zacha got caught grabbing David Perron, who had a solid shift to set up a Detroit powerplay with 1:17 left in the opener. Larkin accidentally clipped McAvoy with his stick, setting up a 4-on-4 with 31.2 seconds to go.
First-period shots: 13-8 Bruins.
PREGAME
The late, great Eddie Sandford was honored as the Bruins held their first of multiple “Era Night” ceremonies prior to Saturday’s faceoff. Eddie’s son Mike Sandford dropped a ceremonial opening faceoff, and several other descendants of Bruins greats of the past joined him on the ice. Mike Sandford is the longtime chief of Boston’s off-ice officials crew.
Two of the people who went on the ice were the granddaughters of Art Ross.
Ross was not only the most-successful Bruins coach, he was a visionary of the sport, giving the NHL its modern puck design and traditional net design.
The ongoing absence of Bill Cowley’s No. 10 banner from TD Garden rafters can be traced to a falling out the Hall of Fame centerman had with Ross when he was left off the Bruins’ roster for a postseason European exhibition tour.
Rink Rap continues hoping the Bruins will use this season as an occasion to right that wrong. Cowley’s credentials are undeniable, and any discussion of what number should go up next should begin with his.
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 