Jets at Bruins

Charlie “Who’s your daddy and Team USA alternate captain” McAvoy back in the Boston Bruins lineup … can Hampus “On Campus” Lindholm be far away? The Bruins certainly need their two best defensemen for the stretch run of tough home-ice opponents beginning with tonight’s matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. After the NHL breaks for the 4 Nations Faceoff, the Bruins will have another atypical March with many more road than home games, and we know too painfully well how these guys have played this season on the road.

Does this guy take ANY nights off? Connor Hellebuyck (pronounced Hella-Bucyk at my desk) starts for Winnipeg.

Joonas Korpisalo gets tonight’s start for Boston.

FIRST PERIOD

Brad Marchand (and 18,000 friends) complain when he’s called for crosschecking Dylan Demelo 1:19 into the game. It was a bit of a love tap, but it was applied at the precise moment that Demelo turned to stop as he approached the board for the puck.

The Jets convert, as Vladislav Namestnikov chips in a backhand rebound to the open left side at 2:55, 1-0 Winnipeg, and just like that the Bruins are chasing this game.

Josh Morrissey in transition goes top-right corner over Korpisalo’s glove to make it 2-0 at 5:51. The Bruins challenge the play for offsides. It’s a quick meeting, and the officials reverse their call, no goal. Bruins dodge a bullet.

Too many passes by the Bruins, who almost turned the puck over for a breakaway from high in the attacking zone until Pastrnak tipped a Mason Lohrei relay onto McAvoy’s stick. McAvoy pushed it across, but Hellebuyck saw it all the way.

Marchand turned the puck over, and the Jets relayed the puck until Nikita Zadorov deflected the shot off the glass. But, when the Jets regained possession inside the Bruins zone, Mark Scheifele tipped Neal Pionk’s point shot past Korpisalo at 11:31 of the first to make it 2-0.

All eyes shifted to the Boston bench, but coach Joe Sacco stood pat with Korpisalo. Pulling a switch might have been in the cards had Winnipeg’s second (apparent) goal not been taken away on the offsides review.

Pastrnak finds Geekie cruising into the slot, but Geekie’s shot slides wide of the right post. Geekie has been among Boston’s more effective forwards at midseason. He’s been their best player at shot selection and accuracy.

Marchand snaps a wrist shot past Hellebuyck on the powerplay at 15:34, just 16 seconds after Namestnikov went to the penalty box for holding, 2-1 Winnipeg. And the TD Garden crowd gets into it.

Final minute, Kyle Connor has a lane to the net, rips a shot that Korpisalo turns away with a loud leg pad.

Shots after one period: 11-9 Winnipeg

SECOND PERIOD

Johnny Beecher set up in the circle, save Hellebuyck. Cole Koepke goes to the net, scrum ensues with old friend Colin Miller.

This game, which easily could have been 3-0 before it became 2-1, is meandering and waiting for one of these teams to take it.

McAvoy to the box for slashing at 8:16. Jets to the powerplay.

Pavel Zacha with the disruption on Morrissey at the left point and clear. Zacha makes another strong play, and the Bruins get a crucial kill.

The Jets, however, continue to press the Boston end and generate shots on Korpisalo. The Bruins have a hard time exiting their D zone with possession.

[Three former Bruins on the Jets bench, all of whom played their final NHL games for Boston in the 1990s: Head Coach Scott Arniel (29 regular-season games at the end of his career during the 1991-92 season); Davis Payne (the only 22 GP of Payne’s NHL career during the 95-96 and 96-97 seasons); and Dean Chynoweth (his final 96 NHL games including 4 playoffs games vs. Florida in 1996.]

Korpisalo with his biggest save of the game when Namestnikov was left alone in the slot with nothing between him and Korpisalo. Huge save.

Bruins generate some late-period shots, and Namestnikov trips Geekie behind the Winnipeg net with 3:30 left in the second; Bruins powerplay …

Elias Lindholm has Hellebuyck down, looks to pull the puck around the fallen goaltender only to make a blind drop pass to no one. The play just piles onto the confusion that sums up Lindholm’s debut season as a Bruin. TD Garden voices its disapproval.

Gabe Vilardi isolated right circle, save Korpisalo, and Andrew Peeke gives Scheifele a helluva shove, and the Jets’ top-line center stays on his feet.

Marchand gets an interference call at the other end for elbowing down Morrissey on the puck chase. Marchand took an early-game penalty for shoving Demelo near the boards; the Jets converted for the game’s first goal. A minute and 57 seconds of Marchand’s second such penalty of the night will carry into the third period.

Shots after two: 21-20 Winnipeg.

THIRD PERIOD

Short-handed blast – one-timer – by Lindholm 11 seconds into the period (Zacha won the faceoff to him) after Winnipeg iced the puck. Bruins tie the game 2-2, only to see the Jets connect 24 seconds later as Scheifele scores on the powerplay 35 seconds in to restore the visitors’ lead.

Then it goes to 4-2 at 1:17 after Lohrei skates the puck out from behind the Boston net and gets pokechecked by Nikolaj Ehlers in a scene eerily similar to Randy McKay’s backbreaking overtime goal in Game 4 of the 1995 Bruins-Devils series. Playing the role of Jon Rohloff, Lohrei; playing the role of Blaine Lacher, Korpisalo. 4-2.

Bruins generate a chance, Brazeau curls and centers to Poitras, who chips from close range into Hellebuyck’s glove.

Parker Ford – sounds like an establishment on AutoMile – makes it 5-2 at 5:57.

Brandon Carlo to the penalty box for high-sticking with 7:15 left, and the fans pour through the exits.

Marchand gets a 10-minute misconduct and an early shower.

This game, perhaps because it’s on home ice against a legitimate playoff contender, has a certain not-this-year taste to it.

4:40 left. Building is half empty, not half full.

Drive safely.