The Boston Bruins desperately need a strong effort in a Presidents Day finale to a dog-days homestand that has seen them go 1-3-2 and forfeit an opportunity to solidify their separation from the Eastern Conference pack.
Instead, the Bruins face a very solid, Dallas Stars team at TD Garden (1 p.m. faceoff, NESN, 98.5) before heading to Edmonton to launch a six-game road trip on Wednesday night.
To a man, the Bruins won’t have any sky-is-falling talk, especially after letting so much stardom depart from their historic 2022-23 team and still knocking this season out of the park. Right now, however, is the worst slump of their 2023-24 season, and better hockey might not be good enough to prevent their slide in the standings.
It would take an historic collapse for the Bruins to fall into the playoff bubble, but they are no longer the top team in the Atlantic Division, Florida is.
A-I image by Daryl Vautour
Today is Brad Marchand Day at TD Garden, as the Bruins honor the captain for reaching the 1,000-game, regular-season milestone last week.
FIRST PERIOD
Big winger Justin Brazeau is recalled from Providence (AHL) to start today’s matinee against Dallas alongside Jesper Boqvist and recent recall Andy Richard.
Brazeau’s line produces the game’s first goal, as Boqvist finishes strong on Jake Oettinger. Boqvist’s speed has directly led to offense. Playing in a depth role energy-line style, Boqvist seems to be adding a little to his game with every week, one of the few bright spots during the Bruins’ slump.
Wyatt Johnston tied the game for Dallas on a screen shot from the right circle.
Charlie McAvoy got caught flat-footed and was forced to illegally impede Jamie Benn on a 2-on-1 that materialized anyway, but Benn missed his passing target.
Dallas to the powerplay …
Bruins get the kill without too much happening.
Matt Grzelcyk skates to elude Jason Robertson, but he then misses a read on a breakout pass and Jeremy Swayman has to stop Joe Pavelski from point-blank range.
With a minute remaining in the first period, Dallas defenseman Joel Hanley took a run at Marchand at the sideboards and missed. When they came back down to the Dallas end, they engaged and dropped the gloves with 39.3 seconds to go. Neither threw a punch in earnest, but the Garden crowd roared its approval when Marchand got the spinning takedown.
First-period shots: 12-6 Dallas
SECOND PERIOD
All Stars, Swayman making saves until scores from the left point 1:04 into the period. 2-1 Dallas.
Brazeau answers with his first NHL goal just 28 seconds later, as Boqvist once again factors. 2-2. Frederic also gets an assist.
Did you have Jesper Boqvist on deck for a Gordie? I didn’t.
Frederic breakaway, save Oettinger.
Benn has all day from the slot, but Swayman eats it up.
Former Bruin Craig Smith and linemate Radek Faksa had chances, but Swayman turned them away. Stars outshooting the Bruins 22-11 with 13:37 left in the second period.
Despite home-ice matchups for Boston, the Stars are getting matchups that make the Bruins look slow.
Mason Marchment runs McAvoy after McAvoy had hit Tyler Seguin behind the Boston net. Frederic and Marchment have words post-whistle.
Hanley skates the puck from the left point into the slot, save Swayman.
More point-blank stops by Swayman (31-14 shots midway through the game).
Faksa off for holding, Bruins to the powerplay with 10:06 left in the second period.
Great job by Hanley tying up James van Riemsdyk to prevent him getting his stick to a loose puck in front of Oettinger.
Stars get the kill.
They’ve outplayed the Bruins to the point that it’s hard to imagine them not getting the next powerplay.
Former Bruins camper Alex Petrovic’s point shot breaks away from Swayman, but Grzelcyk is first to it, makes the clear, then pounces on a stray pass in the Dallas zone but fires wide of the right post.
Morgan Geekie breaks down RW with a lane, but Oettinger kicked away his offering.
“This game has two great goaltenders,” said Cap’n Obvious.
And there it is: Johnston goes down, Lindholm goes off with 5:20 left in the second. Marchand gives Johnston a public shove to shame him for embellishment. Dallas to the powerplay nonetheless …
Carlo wins the puck, skates it to the clear and zips it off the glass and out.
Marchand steal on PK gives Grzelcyk another shot from a quality spot. This time he forces Oettinger to make a save.
Penalty up but in the chaos so unfriendly to the Bruins of late, Ryan Suter is isolated in front. Swayman knocks it away.
Ty Dellandrea sent in alone on Swayman, but he dekes himself out of puck control. Derek Forbort adds insult to injury by decking Dellandrea on the sideboards. Dellandrea has a chance to hit Forbort on a relay play but passes it up.
Marchand dekes to the Dallas net and forces Suter into taking a penalty with 11.3 seconds left in the period. Bruins to the powerplay …
McAvoy gets a redirect at the goalmouth that Oettinger sticks away at the siren. The shot goes up on the board.
Shots after two periods: 35-19 Dallas.
The Bruins will have 1:49 of time on the man advantage to open the third period.
THIRD PERIOD
Bruins have energy, but the powerplay goes by the boards.
Play under review, no-goal call on the ice is confirmed.
NHL OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:
Type of Review: Puck Over Goal Line
Result: No Goal Dallas
Explanation:
The Referee informed the Situation Room he blew his whistle to stop play before the puck entered the Boston net. According to Rule 78.5 (xii), apparent goals shall be disallowed “when the Referee deems the play has been stopped, even if he had not physically had the opportunity to stop play by blowing his whistle.”
+++
Hampus Lindholm is using the TV timeout to skate off an awkward fall to the ice during a corner battle at the end of his last shift. He had laid on his stomach an extra second and looked hobbled leaving the rink. Looked better on the practice twirl but has not played since.
Jim Montgomery reconfigures Boston’s D pairings so that McAvoy and Forbort skate together and Grzelcyk with Carlo, sometimes Shattenkirk.
Stars convert a 2-on-1 with 9:16 left, as Marchment goes stick side (far side) low on Swayman for the go-ahead goal. Dallas 3-2.
Bruins with pressure as McAvoy closes in from the slot, shot blocked with Frederic pressing Oettinger.
On his second attempt getting the breakout, Esa Lindell ices the puck.
Dallas ices it again with 7:16 left in regulation.
Danton Heinen skates the breakout into traffic and drops to Kevin Shattenkirk, who ices the puck.
McAvoy is taking wild chances, and Robertson almost got a breakaway when Carlo went down at center. Carlo also escaped a penalty on the play.
Frederic is in pain en route to the bench, having taken friendly fire in the ankle.
Richard crashes the Dallas net and gets roughed up by the Stars.
The fourth line has been Boston’s best today.
Four minutes to go straight up. Bruins need a goal to send this game to overtime.
Swayman to the bench for a sixth attacker with 2:10 left in regulation and the faceoff in the Dallas zone.
Pastrnak and Marchand cycle the puck, McAvoy sells shot and passes across to Pastrnak, whose Ovechkin shot beats Oettinger to tie the game 3-3 with 1:45 left.
Marchand frees up another shot for Pastrnak, but Oettinger and two defenders made sure nothing was getting through from that sharp angle to the right.
This game goes to overtime.
Shots: 44-27 for Dallas through regulation time.
OVERTIME
Dallas: 55-18-91
Boston: 13-73-63
Seguin flew the zone, Coyle pick off the touchdown pass but got hooked – no call.
Johnston flies in and misses the far post.
Harley reloads and hits the post.
Marchand finally gets the Bruins back in possession and has a lane to Oettinger, who makes the save and out of play.
Faceoff in the Dallas zone, Stars win it. Seguin rushes in and tries a spin move, misses the net, misses again, then gets a partial breakaway. Save Swayman.
Pastrnak down the left, save Oettinger.
Stars stall for one rush that Marchment cannot finish on Carlo.
Final shots: 46-28 Dallas.
The shootout result will be tweeted.
Drive safely.
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 