The Bruins’ losing streak reached to five games on Tuesday, January 7th, as they were blanked 4-0 by Stuart Skinner and the Edmonton Oilers, extending their dismal run of form at TD Garden. Skinner was a brick wall, denying all 26 shots he faced. However, he did not earn the shutout due to being taken off the ice by a concussion spotter. Calvin Pickard took Skinner’s place, not facing a single shot, and then Skinner returned for the second period. It was an unfortunate loss for Boston, as they needed this win to halt their downward spiral. Adam Henrique found the back of the net twice, and both Viktor Arvidsson and Connor McDavid scored to help the Oilers secure the two points to extend their win streak to four. The Bruins head out to Tampa Bay on Thursday to take on the Lightning in search of a win to snap this losing streak, while the Oilers head to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins, hoping to extend their win streak.
Boston Bruins Lineup:
Marchand – Lindholm – Coyle
Geekie – Zacha – Pastrnak
Wahlstrom – Frederic – Brazeau
Beecher – Kastelic – Koepke
Wotherspoon – McAvoy
Zadorov – Carlo
Lohrei – Peeke
Swayman
Korpisalo
Edmonton Oilers Lineup:
Nugent-Hopkins – McDavid – Brown
Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Arvidsson
Skinner – Henrique – Hyman
Perry – Janmark – Kapanen
Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Brown
Kulak – Emberson
Skinner
Pickard
Opening the scoring early into the first period, Adam Henrique put the Oilers ahead 1-0 for his fourth goal of the season with 13:27 on the clock. He collected the puck when it bounded to him, sending it over to Corey Perry, who then found Henrique from behind the net into the slot. Henrique scored on a quick-release wrister, getting it past Jeremy Swayman’s glove.
Connor McDavid added another Edmonton tally in the middle frame at 8:49 to make it a 2-0 lead for the Oilers. He received a pass from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, getting it sent in on a breakaway before stickhandling in on Jeremy Swayman, scoring stick side for a power-play goal after a failed attempt from the Bruins, and the puck got sent out of Boston’s zone. With 3:25 left to play in the second, Adam Henrique struck once again for his second goal of the night and his fifth of the season to increase Edmonton’s lead to 3-0 off a pass from Jeff Skinner behind the net. After this goal, Henrique had another opportunity to try to score a hat trick when the puck was turned over by Charlie Coyle to Zach Hyman, who passed it over in behind the net, and Adam got off another quick shot from the top of the right circle, going far side past Swayman.
To seal the 4-0 victory, Viktor Arvidsson struck Boston’s empty net with 3:35 remaining in regulation for his fifth goal of the season.
Trent Frederic on the Bruins’ performance, what’s preventing them from getting to play their style, and mentality: “I don’t think we played our style of hockey, the way this team’s built. It’s hard to get the run and gun with a team like that when that’s the game they want to play, and we just play right into their hands. We’re not going to win many games playing like that, not playing our style, and not playing the game plan he had lined up for us,” – “That’s a question we’re trying to figure out – I don’t know. I don’t have an answer for that, to be honest. …This game’s behind us. Just go have a good practice tomorrow, have a good, intense practice. We haven’t had many opportunities to practice lately so, go have a great practice, and we’re going to have our moms with us, so that’s going to help, and play as hard as we can against Tampa. Play a better game than we just did and try to get two points.”
Post-Game Notes:
– Jeremy Swayman made a total of 35 saves for Boston.
– The Bruins have lost five straight, 0-4-1, and six of seven (1-5-1).
– Boston: 20-18-5, Edmonton: 25-12-3
– Nikita Zadorov had been called for goaltender interference when he collided with Stuart Skinner in the first period, which was why he left and returned at the start of the second period.
– The Edmonton Oilers have won four straight, and seven of nine (7-1-1).
– Brett Kulak picked up a pair of assists, and Leon Draisaitl’s 14-game point streak was put to an end at 12 goals and 15 assists.
– Connor McDavid scored his first goal in eight games and recorded his first point in three games.
Season 4. Episode 39. The Off Season – Bruins Benders Podcast
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