The Boston Bruins ended their 4-game skid against the Dallas Stars on Monday, February 19th. It was a nonstop game of ties, heading into a shootout to determine the winner. The Stars and Bruins went up to nine rounds in the shootout… Charlie McAvoy won it for the Bruins in the ninth round and Jeremy Swayman made 43 saves in a 4-3 win for Boston.
Stars lineup against the Bruins:
Robertson – Hintz – Pavelski
Marchment – Johnston – Seguin
Benn – Steel – Dellandrea
Faksa – Smith
Hanley – Lindell
Suter – Harley
Pouliot – Petrovic
Oettinger
Wedgewood
Bruins lineup against the Stars:
Marchand – Coyle – Heinen
DeBrusk – Zacha – Pastrnak
van Riemsdyk – Geekie – Frederic
Richard – Boqvist – Brazeau
Grzelcyk – McAvoy
Lindholm – Carlo
Forbort – Shattenkirk
Swayman
Ullmark
Opening the scoring for Boston, Jesper Boqvist gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead early into the first period. He scored in front of Anthony Richard’s centering pass. Wyatt Johnston tied it at 1-1 after he redirected Thomas Harley’s shot. Johnston has six points in a three-game point streak (three goals, three assists). It remained a tie for the rest of the first frame.
Ryan Suter gave Dallas the lead early 2-1, at 18:56 of the second period. Suter shot from the left face-off circle… Only 28 seconds later, Justin Brazeau scored his first NHL goal to tie it back up at 2-2. Brazeau signed a two-year, two-way contract with Boston earlier Monday. The Stars and Bruins went through the remainder of the middle frame tied at 2-2.
Esa Lindell put the Stars back on top at 9:16 of the third period, 3-2. Lindell kept the puck on a 2-on-1 rush and scored from the right side, getting his fifth goal of the season. With close to a minute remaining in the third, David Pastrnak tied it 3-3. He got the puck from Charlie McAvoy, who passed it across the zone, and he shot from the left face-off circle to score on a one-timer.
The Stars and Bruins went into overtime, but there was no luck there in determining the game-winner… they went into a shootout that had lasted up to nine rounds.
Jason Robertson was the first to score in the shootout, nobody scored in round two. Boston scored in the third round and it then went back to no goals until the ninth round. Charlie McAvoy beat Jake Oettinger to get the 4-3 final for the Bruins, ending their skid.
Jeremy Swayman on his mindset and focus, and the Bruins’ 4-3 win: “I think it’s a good thing. I like seeing a lot of rubber and I think any goalie in hockey will tell you they like seeing rubber – It just keeps you busy and you get into a flow. I think the guys in front of me did such a great job of boxing out and taking away six for tips. This team is obviously very talented with tip puck, so I think we had a great game plan. Six-on-five was a huge momentum builder… I’m just really, really happy with the two points.”
Brad Marchand on the team’s win: “That was a big one for us and team effort again – That’s how we’ve had success this year and always. It’s great to see some guys come up and make an impact, that helps and having that young energy… They did a great job coming through. That’s the type of game that we’re going to see more often here down the stretch.”
Notes:
– Justin Brazeau made his NHL debut and scored his first NHL goal
– The Bruins held a ceremony before the game for Brad Marchand’s 1000th game
– Jesper Boqvist had a goal and an assist… Charlie McAvoy recorded two assists and David Pastrnak scored his 35th goal of the season.
– Wyatt Johnston, Ryan Suter, and Esa Lindell all scored… Jake Oettinger made 25 saves for Dallas.
