Blues at Bruins

Two teams that easily could have had reversed records (minus Boston’s third-period comeback last Tuesday in STL), trying to find traction.

For the Bruins, that means more shaking up in the forward-line depth, as Johnny Beecher gets a seat in the press box and Patrick Brown has been returned to the Providence Bruins, who are at Hartford today, the middle game of two straight 3-in-3 weekends.

Back when the P-Bruins sprinkled in some Wednesday home games, they didn’t have as many 3/3’s in their schedule, but they routinely get hammered now on the monthly slate, playing many Friday-home, Saturday-road and Sunday-home combinations. In most weeks, the other road game is their midweek game.

But we’re in Boston today, and so are Riley Tufte and Georgii Merkulov, the latter of whom was in the Providence lineup in last night’s 4-3 overtime loss to Cleveland (Columbus).

Tufte, inexplicably equipped in Bill Cowley’s No. 10 sweater, skates left wing today on Mark Kastelic’s line opposite Cole Koepke, while Merkulov (42) skates left wing on Charlie Coyle’s line opposite Trent Frederic. Tyler Johnson is out for family reasons, and Joonas Korpisalo is in net against Jordan Binnington.

FIRST PERIOD

Justin Faulk off for holding just 1:10 into the game. Bruins to the powerplay, centered by Elias Lindholm with Pavel Zacha RW, David Pastrnak in the Ovechkin spot, Brad Marchand opposite (right side but roving) and Charlie McAvoy at the center point. Best setup Pastrnak made one too many passes, picked off by Nathan Walker. Blues get the early kill.

The Bruins hit two posts, McAvoy on the PP and a second one generated by Kastelic’s line at even strength.

Lots of Bruins pressure, but the Blues strike first, as Radek Faksa tips in Scott Perunovich’s shot from the left point at 6:25. 1-0 STL.

The Bruins’ third line creates pressure, scramble in front, Trent Frederic ties the game at 9:34. Merkulov and McAvoy with assists. That is Merkulov’s first NHL point (fifth career game).

Elias Lindholm wanted to lead Marchand but waited too long for his seam to materialize and carried in offsides.

Frederic strikes again at 12:12, tipping Mason Lohrei’s shot from the left point past Binnington, 2-1 Boston.

Bruins called for too many men, served by Merkulov. Bruins get the kill. The Blues have picked up their game and are outshooting the Bruins 9-5 with under three minutes remaining in the opening period.

Shots after the first period: 11-6 St. Louis

SECOND PERIOD

Korpisalo with a couple of nice stops.

Coyle gets the puck in the slot and fakes a backhand pass, turning and firing on Binnington, who makes the save.

Blues just put on a heavy shift midway through the second period. They got some changes while the Bruins were trapped a long way from their bench. A shot rings the goalpost, Korpisalo turns and flops on the rebound next to the left post. Blues win another draw, save Korpisalo. Shots are 16-9 STL.

The Blues are winning most of the 50/50 pucks right now, as the Bruins start looking like a case of the matinee Blues, albeit it ahead on the scoreboard, 2-1, with 9:39 left in the second period. Long way to go here.

The call on the ice is no goal for two-time Blues center Oskar Sunqvist, whose aerial bunt found paydirt from beside the left post after two terrific plays by Perunovich, a small, left-shot defenseman with great skating and instincts and happens to wear 48. … Remind anyone else of a former Bruin?

No goal, but in the ensuing action the Blues continue to pepper Korpisalo (shots are 18-8 with 6:17 left in the second period). Boston coach Jim Montgomery takes his timeout.

More Blues pressure, and Montgomery at one point had Frederic, Lindholm and Justin Brazeau out together.

Sundqvist interferes with McAvoy at the Blues’ bench, arm-pitting the Boston defenseman’s stick at the end of his shift and as the play moved inside the Boston zone. McAvoy goes roughhouse, the result being matching minors for roughing with 51.5 seconds left in the second period. 4v4 in front of the goaltenders. Old-school move successful for Sundqvist, getting McAvoy off the ice. Lohrei and Brandon Carlo for the D-zone draw that leaves the zone.

Bruins argue an offsides call.

Frederic tried to finesse the puck at the defensive halfwall, turned it over and then crosschecked his opponent into the boards, so it’s a Blues powerplay with 10.8 seconds left in the second period. 4v3 for 1:20.

Blues get the draw and one shot that was blocked. 1:50 of Frederic’s penalty will carry into the third period. 1:09 left on the matching minors.

Shots after two: 19-10 St. Louis. (8-4 Blues for the second period.)

THIRD PERIOD

I don’t know what Andrew Raycroft has to say about it, but this feel opposite of the game last Tuesday in St. Louis, where the Bruins were winning everywhere except on the scoreboard. The Blues are that team today, and the Bruins need a much better third period to stave off the same type of turnaround.

Bruins get the kill but not without adventure, as Jordan Kyrou was isolated in the right circle and rang the post. It won’t count on the scoresheet, but Korpisalo’s fine play influenced the miss, so I don’t want to hear a TV sports anchor say he beat Korpisalo but couldn’t beat the post. Simply erroneous (and lazy).

Cole Koepke nice rush up LW, and Riley Tufte takes the D-man to the net, but Koepke can’t beat Binnington.

Nathan Walker ties it for St. Louis at 9:18. Inevitable, as the game’s been too one-sided. 2-2.

Monty sends out McAvoy-Lohrei and Geekie between Zacha and Pastrnak for an O-zone draw that Geekie wins, but McAvoy’s shot is tipped over everything into the stands behind the Blues’ net.

7:37 left in regulation, 2-2.

Bruins starting to push.

Jordan Oesterle is the late man and has a look from the slot, but the puck shanks off his stick.

Colton Parayko fends off the hit and makes a play to the crease where Korpisalo smothers.

5:59 left in regulation, 2-2.

Brayden Schenn wins the draw from Zacha, but the Bruins do a good job to thwart the attack. Blues win another in the Bruins’ zone, but the home team gets the puck out of danger.

Oesterle loses the puck in his skates coming through the neutral zone, counterattack has Kyrou in the slot, save Korpisalo.

The Bruins are missing Hampus Lindholm right now, big time.

Bruins finally get set up, as Lohrei’s pass deflects down to the goalmouth, where Binnington pounces and Parayko bear-hugs Elias Lindholm.

Blues win a puck on the sidewall, off to the races, too fancy on the play and the Bruins ice it with 3:18.

Zacha wins a D-zone faceoff from Pavel Buchnevich, and the Bruins earn an O-zone draw for a change.

Bruins have a very solid shift to conclude regulation time, but they could not generate a shot out of their possession.

Shots for regulation: 29-17 Blues.

Both teams earn a point in the standings, and the Blues’ point means nothing to the Bruins in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

3v3 OT

McAvoy, who starts with Pastrnak and Zacha, passes up a shot, and Zacha’s resultant shot is deflected over the glass. Both teams change lines.

Frederic falls in the St. Louis zone, Blues rush it back and Schenn beats Korpisalo cleanly off the rush to win it at 2:53 of overtime.

Well at least we weren’t subjected to a shootout.

Bruins fortunate to take a point out of this one.

Drive safely.

Postgame: Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said the team had hoped after the victory in St. Louis that the defensive team game had come around, but that also went off the rails in Dallas and hasn’t been right since. The offense, he said, has been off all season. … Korpisalo said after the game that he didn’t like the goal, as in he thinks he should have had it. Asked if he thinks he should have challenged the shooter, Korpisalo wasn’t sure, said he’ll review the videotape.