Morgan Geekie is the winner of the NESN 7th Player Award instituted in 1968-69 season by TV38 for the player who performs above expectations. The original wording was “to the player who performs above and beyond what one would normally expect.”
The first winner was checking winger “Steady” Eddie Westfall, who famously shadowed Bobby Hull during the Boston-Chicago Stanley Cup semifinal of 1970.
Geekie, who was rejected rather than qualified as a restricted free agent by the Seattle Kraken in 2023, joined the Bruins last season and established his NHL career, finishing as the team’s second-line centerman in the playoffs. This year he became a 30-goal scorer.
Last game, here we go. Jeremy Swayman vs Jake Allen between the pipes.
Left defenseman Frederic Brunet and center (slotted in as the fourth-line RW) John Farinacci are in the lineup for Boston.
Old friend Dougie Hamilton, who had begun practicing with the Devils, is not dressed tonight. New Jersey, locked into an opening-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, finishes the regular season Wednesday night at home vs. Detroit.
Timo Meier scores off the rush after Pavel Zacha lunged in the neutral zone to intercept and didn’t quite interrupt the flow of the play. Brunet peeled toward Brett Pesce, who dropped the puck for Meier, whose shot snuck inside the far post for a 1-0 Devils lead 7:25 into the game. Both defensemen assisted, as Pesce had taken the breakout pass from Luke Hughes.
The Bruins got it back 1:18 later to the delight of a chanting crowd, as David Pastrnak took a pass from Nikita Zadorov (who had carried behind the net) and, faking shot from the right circle, relayed the puck across to Geekie for a one-timer that beat Allen to knot the score at 1-1. Time of the goal: 8:43. The primary assist was Pastrnak’s 63rd helper of the season, matching his career high established last season. We’ve got over two periods to go.
[This just in from hockey historian Ed Norris: How many 7th Player Award winners have scored in the game they received the award? Have at it … we know Tim Thomas didn’t, so that’s two years you don’t need to think about.]
Pesce to the box, Bruins to the powerplay. Devils get the kill.
Brian Dumoulin for crosschecking at 16:23, Bruins to the powerplay.
Fabian Lysell shakes off a takeaway along the left boards, and Marat Khusnutdinov gets a shot from the slot – save Allen.
The first period ended with former Providence and sometimes-Boston Bruin Marc McLaughlin gliding past the Boston net. McLaughlin is wearing No. 21 for New Jersey.
More magic from Pastrnak to open the second period, as Elias Lindholm springs him at the blue line and Pasta dekes Allen, 2-1 Bruins just 29 seconds into the second period.
Casey Mittelstadt gives it away in his own zone, but the Devils continue their less-than-opportunistic malaise.
Lysell to the penalty box for hooking at 2:21, Devils get a powerplay. A penalty almost 180 feet from Swayman won’t be appreciated by the coaching staff no matter who commits it.
The Devils get the tying goal with 15 seconds left on the penalty, as Stefan Noesen stuffs the puck inside the left post after it looked like Swayman might have it covered. 1-1 at 4:07.
Simon Nemec makes it 3-2 New Jersey at 4:37, just a half minute later.
Noesen and Nikita Zadorov exchange pleasantries after Noesen got separated from his stick. Matching minors and, because the self-loathing NHL loves it so much, 4v4 hockey for the next two minutes.
Swayman makes a point-blank stop on Jesper Bratt.
Vinni Lettieri goes to the box for holding, Devils back on the PP at 13:08. Dawson Mercer redirects a pass into the net 28 seconds into the man advantage, and it’s 4-2 Devils.
McLaughlin just took out Henri Jokiharju on the retrieval (will this be Jokiharju’s final game as a Bruin? The RH defenseman is UFA).
Farinacci snaps a wrister from the low right circle with 3:07 remaining in the second period to make it a one-goal game at 4-3 Devils. Farinacci was stationed at the right post and went back to retrieve a rebound that he whipped past Allen for his first NHL goal.
OK, final 20 of the season …
Lysell steals the puck from Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon and feeds Marat Khusnutdinov for the game-tying goal at 5:08 of the third period and it’s 4-4.
Two asides: 1. The Devils look like they won’t take a single game from the Carolina Hurricanes; 2. One point tonight will not push the Bruins ahead of the Seattle Kraken in the NHL overall standings (and behind the Kraken in ping-pong balls for the draft lottery). The reason for this is the Kraken have won more games in regulation even if the Bruins win tonight in regulation. But, should the Bruins win tonight, they need Seattle to win its season finale tonight on home ice against Los Angeles in order to preserve their odds.
This one is going down to the wire. Final minute … Pastrnak had a chance and so did Andrew Peeke, then the Devils made a little push.
Bruins get a point and go to overtime.
Boston is now tied in points with Seattle, pending this overtime where they have the potential of pushing ahead of the Kraken, who finish tonight vs. LA.
Devils win it at 1:30 of overtime, breaking their own losing streak. The Bruins finish with a point and cannot lose their spot below Seattle because, even if the Kraken lose tonight to the Kings, they have more regulation-time wins than the Bruins, and that’s the first tiebreaker.
Joe Sacco’s last postgame of the season coming up.
Drive safely.
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 