Kraken at Bruins

Now we’ll see if the Boston Bruins really are committed to the process. We won’t measure that by the end results of today’s game against the Seattle Kraken, but there will be many indicators as to how hard the Bruins can compete and focus at the same time.

Not limited to be somewhat related: how well the Bruins supported the puck on Saturday at Philadelphia without overcrowding and leaving themselves vulnerable, how often they were first to the puck. One is trust, the other, its offspring, is chemistry.

You can’t turn it on and off like a switch, this is a building program the Bruins need to see through over a series of games. Then – only then – can individuals be judged, can the general manager’s offseason be judged. Only then we’ll know how Jeremy Swayman handles being the number-one goalie, only then we’ll know how lines 2 and 3 should look. Only then we’ll have a reliable sense of referendum on wingers auditioning for that open spot.

This is becoming an intriguing Seattle roster, built around former championship-team members like Yanni Gorde but not including former Florida Panthers Brandon Montour and Josh Mahura and former Vegas Golden Knight Chandler Stephenson.

In net for the Kraken, Joey Daccord, the son of former Bruins goaltending coach Brian Daccord. Boston area native Matt Beniers centering in the Kraken’s starting lineup.

It’s Jack Edwards Day at TD Garden, as the Bruins honor their television voice. It’s really criminal that TV play-in-play voices don’t get to call Stanley Cup clinchers, as the networks take over the TV booth beginning with the second round of the playoffs.

Fortunately for the Bruins’ legendary broadcasters, both Fred Cusick (1970) and Bob Wilson (1972) were afforded the opportunity to call a Bruins Cup winner on the radio, as did Dave Goucher in 2011.

FIRST PERIOD

Justin Brazeau tips home Nikita Zadorov’s shot from the left point 3:23 into the game, 1-0 Boston. Secondary assist by Charlie McAvoy, but what made it all possible was Charlie Coyle’s diligence on the RW halfwall. The big center, knocked to one knee in battle, stayed with the puck and stickhandled to a place so he could move it to McAvoy.

Things have not come easily this season for Coyle, the leader without the letter on this Bruins team, so that was a rewarding moment given his commitment to the team concept.

Bruins with more pressure, but Joey Daccord makes a great save on David Pastrnak. The Bruins keep leaning on the Kraken, leveraging a minor on Brandon Montour. Bruins outshooting Seattle 6-0 as they begin the man advantage.

Coyle cashes in on the powerplay at 9:57, 2-0 Bruins. The TD Garden crowd goes wild as Coyle, isolated at the left post, fakes to pull the puck around Daccord, drawing the goalie off the left post and pulling the puck back and then tucking in home near side. Great goal (if there is such a thing on the powerplay).

Shots are 8-0 Bruins.

Bruins in transition, Trent Frederic on the carry, they rip it around the horn to Charlie McAvoy, whose shot is slightly deflected by Pavel Zacha inside the right post. The call on the ice is goal, but Kraken coach Dan Bylsma challenges for offsides and the replay agrees. Zacha put himself offside with the puck under control (legal) but before bringing the puck into the attacking zone he backhanded a pass to Brazeau (who was onside), but the fact Zacha gave up possession while offside rendered the play offside. Confused yet?

Jordan Eberle off for hooking, so the Bruins with an opportunity to carry forward their early momentum.

Ryker Evans to the box for holding at 14:52.

Shots are 14-0 Bruins.

The Kraken have awoken, and Jeremy Swayman, who had just made his first save of the game, makes a dandy on a Grade A scoring chance. Seattle continues pushing, and Andrew Peeke goes to the box for tripping. Kraken to the powerplay.

Coyle steals the puck on the penalty kill and fends off two Kraken, but just as he reaches Daccord, the puck is poked away.

This easily could have gotten to a one-goal game, but kudos to the Bruins for bearing down, checking hard, passing the puck true and swiftly, and not cutting any corners.

The first period ends with the Bruins up 2-0 and 15-3 shots on goal.

The Bruins have become a harder team to play against.

SECOND PERIOD

Peeke has 13 seconds to serve on his tripping minor.

Coyle sent away on a 2-on-1 on a brilliant backhand pass out of the D-zone, save Daccord. Bruins get the kill.

6:19 into the second period, shots are 20-3 Bruins.

Montour catches Elias Lindholm slowing with the puck and plasters the center against the boards in the RW corner. Lindholm will play with discipline but keep a number. You can never let your guard down around Montour, who punches above his weight and takes no prisoners.

The Bruins are slightly flatfooted in the middle period, as Seattle is defending more diligently and also taking the play to the Bruins when it can. To the Bruins’ credit, they’ve thwarted Seattle’s better chances by taking away plays and shots and reinforcing in time to snuff out contingency plans.

Kraken with another chance, save Swayman, he wasn’t sure where it landed (off to the side), and just then Adam Larsson is sent to the box for interference with 8:11 left in the second period.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery uses his timeout.

Tail end of a bad powerplay, the Bruins get a bounce and crank out a few shots that Daccord smothers. Still 2-0 Boston with 5:52 left in the second. The Kraken feel they should be winning this period and would love to sneak one behind Swayman and test the Bruins’ nerve in the third.

Shots are 25-7 Boston.

Cole Koepke cuts off Larsson behind the Seattle net and brings the puck out front. Daccord covers.

Mark Kastelic off for high-sticking Montour with 4:32 left in the second period. Bruins on the ropes here.

Bruins with a very efficient PK, and now Boston goes to the powerplay with 1:46 remaining in the second period (Oliver Bjorkstrand high sticking).

Three great scoring chances, two by the Bruins and one in between for Seattle short-handed. Swayman and Daccord come up big. The Kraken got a block and Gourde skated the puck into Boston territory and back out, waiting for changes and generated a big chance. The Bruins came back a second time, almost steering the puck past Daccord, but this one remains 2-0 Boston at second intermission.

Bjorkstrand will have 14 seconds left to serve on his high-sticking minor as the teams begin the third period.

Shots on goal after two: 30-8 Bruins.

THIRD PERIOD

Bruins on the powerplay for 14 more seconds.

Larsson decks Matt Poitras coming around behind the Seattle net, head down, splat. Trent Frederic is all over Larsson, who doesn’t want the fight. It’s an extra two on Freddy for jumping Larsson. Seattle to the powerplay at 3:06. Morgan Geekie serving the minor for Boston.

Bruins get the kill. They spent much of the penalty in their own end but did an excellent job filling the shooting lanes and denying the Kraken a good look at Swayman. Geekie chases out of the box, losing the icing race to Montour, who goes for more in their contact and Geekie shoves on Montour. They congregate. No call.

13:16 stands between the Bruins and consecutive shutout victories. (Don’t at me.)

Seattle pushing, now outshooting the Bruins 7-2 in the third period. Gourde doing Gourde stuff, but the Bruins are not biting.

The Kraken have become super aggressive, overloading everywhere and challenging the Bruins to take advantage elsewhere on the ice, but the Bruins are not eager to get ambitious leading by two goals with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation time.

Third-period shots are now 10-2 Seattle.

Jaden Schwartz (who won the Stanley Cup here in 2019 as a young player on the Blues), rings a shot from the slot (off the rush) off the left post.

Bruins relay at the other end: Koepke’s deflection misses the net. That would have been the game.

Zadorov runs Schwartz hard into the boards in the Boston end. Seattle coming back, big save Swayman on Tye Kartye.

No doubt, Montour is telling his teammates to keep pounding and keep believing. It is rather weird seeing the Bruins on their heels trying to protect a third-period lead with Montour driving a different opponent’s bus.

Under five minutes, Daccord still in the Seattle net.

Daccord to the Seattle bench for the sixth attacker with 3:35 left.

Third-period shots are 14-3 Kraken.

McAvoy has had a solid game, but he turned the puck over behind the Boston net and the Kraken got a shot from the slot out of it. Swayman and his shotblockers have been excellent in this final frame.

Final TV timeout with 3:04 left in regs.

We haven’t seen Pastrnak in quite some time, but he remains on the Boston bench, presumably if needed to participate in a shootout.

Bruins get a shot at the empty net: post.

Timeout Seattle coach Dan Bylsma with 37.8 seconds left. 2-0 Bruins.

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