The Bruins (23-10-6) traveled to Pittsburgh (21-19-3) Sunday night to faceoff against the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champs for the second time of the season. The first meeting between the two franchises came back on Nov. 24th, Black Friday, a game Boston took a 4-3 at home. The Bruins are 8-0-2 in their last ten games while the Penguins have split their last ten with five wins and five losses. It has been a fall from grace for Pittsburgh, a team which sat one point out of a playoff spot coming into the night. They looked to build on a 4-0 win over the New York Islanders Friday, before both teams were set to head into their respective bye weeks.
First Period
It would take Boston only 1:51 into the first period to register the first goal of the night. Ryan Spooner jumped on a redirected point shot from Kevan Miller, sliding the puck past Pittsburgh netminder Tristan Jarry.
It would take Boston only 1:51 into the first period to register the first goal of the night. Ryan Spooner jumped on a redirected point shot from Kevan Miller, sliding the puck past Pittsburgh netminder Tristan Jarry.
The Penguins would waste no time responding when defenseman Jamie Oleksiak fired a shot from the right point in center ice to beat Bruins’ goaltender Tuukka Rask low glove-side 2:02 after the Bruin goal.
With 8:56 left in the period Pittsburgh winger Phil Kessel would capitalize on a Matt Grzelcyk interference call, beating Rask with a quick shot through traffic from just above the hash marks.
Veteran defenseman Kris Letang would add his third of the season, just over two minutes after the Kessel goal, off a strong faceoff win in the right circle of the Bruins’ zone from captain Sidney Crosby. Crosby won the puck, spun around, and threw a quick pass back to Letang waiting on the left point in center ice. Letang one-timed the puck on net before Rask was able to slide over to make the save blocker-side.
Boston outshot Pittsburgh 12-9 in the first period, despite the Penguins taking a 3-1 lead into the second period.
Second Period
It took just over seven minutes into the period for a goal to be scored. That goal would come off the stick of Brad Marchand who was the recipient of a Patrice Bergeron faceoff win in the left circle of the Penguins’ zone. Marchand placed a perfect shot top-shelf on Jarry to cut his team’s deficit to one.
Second Period
It took just over seven minutes into the period for a goal to be scored. That goal would come off the stick of Brad Marchand who was the recipient of a Patrice Bergeron faceoff win in the left circle of the Penguins’ zone. Marchand placed a perfect shot top-shelf on Jarry to cut his team’s deficit to one.
Exactly one minute later, defenseman Brandon Carlo would fire a shot from the left point that would redirect off the chest of teammate Noel Acciari at the hash-marks to beat Jarry and tie the game 3-3.
Apparently, Noel doesn't miss chest day. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/pPzQboZaE6
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 8, 2018
With 7:46 left in the period, David Pastrnak carried the puck down the right side of the Penguins’ zone, looking for Bergeron in front of the net. Pastrnak continued to skate behind the goal before emerging on the left side and firing a puck off the near post and into the net, giving Boston the 4-3 lead.
Patience is a virtue. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/d7QfoHrG4Q
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 8, 2018
David Backes would add to his team’s lead when he turned off the right boards and put a shot on net from the far hash-marks, catching Jarry off-guard by sliding the puck just inside the near post. Jarry would promptly be replaced by goaltender Matt Murray after allowing five goals on 19 shots.
Bruins’ rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy would take a tripping call with 1:39 on the clock. Pittsburgh took the opportunity to cut the lead to one with a power play goal from Evgeni Malkin with just 3.6 seconds remaining in the period. Malkin received a pass from Crosby all alone in front of the Boston goal where he one-timed the puck, narrowly beating Rask to make the score 5-4.
What a clutch goal from @malkin71_ with 3.6 seconds left in the 2nd period!
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 8, 2018
Game info and stats: https://t.co/q4d9kQOswy pic.twitter.com/w8jgqGGVqX
Pittsburgh outshot Boston 8-7 in the period, while Boston scored four of the five goals in the second frame.
Third Period
The Penguins would come out fast to start the third period, able to string together a couple of strong shifts early. That hard work eventually paid off with the game-tying goal from Riley Sheahan who fought off Grzelcyk down the left wall to beat Rask with a shot low blocker-side.
Third Period
The Penguins would come out fast to start the third period, able to string together a couple of strong shifts early. That hard work eventually paid off with the game-tying goal from Riley Sheahan who fought off Grzelcyk down the left wall to beat Rask with a shot low blocker-side.
Despite multiple scoring chances from Pittsburgh throughout the duration of the period, along with a Brad Marchand penalty shot with 1:01 left, the score would remain tied at five, sending the two teams into overtime.
Absolutely HUGE stop □ from @mattmurray_30 at the conclusion of the 3rd period. Stats: https://t.co/q4d9kQOswy pic.twitter.com/rXelpS2sb6
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 8, 2018
Overtime
Pittsburgh continued to dominate well into overtime until Phil Kessel was able to catch the Bruins on a line change and break into the zone with Malkin. Kessel fed the puck cross-ice from the right side for an easy tap-in for Malkin to win the game 6-5 with 2:09 left in overtime.
Pittsburgh continued to dominate well into overtime until Phil Kessel was able to catch the Bruins on a line change and break into the zone with Malkin. Kessel fed the puck cross-ice from the right side for an easy tap-in for Malkin to win the game 6-5 with 2:09 left in overtime.
Evgeni Malkin has six points in his last three home games (3G-3A)... This one is our favorite. pic.twitter.com/PSdIcpbT3F
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 8, 2018
Final Score: Pittsburgh 6 / Boston 5 (Overtime)
Pittsburgh outshot Boston 35-25 in the game. Boston won the slight majority of faceoffs with 51.6%. The Penguins out-hit the Bruins 36-28 and went 2/3 on the power play, while Boston failed to convert either of their two odd-man advantages.
Next Game: Saturday, January 13th at Montreal (five days off for league-mandated bye week).
Takeaways
The atmosphere of this one felt like that of a high-scoring playoff matchup. Boston came out and notched the first goal, only for Pittsburgh to come back with three of their own before the period was over.
The Bruins regained momentum, scoring four consecutive goals, after what felt like complete domination by the Penguins to close out the first 20 minutes.
What appeared to suck the life out of Boston was the goal by Evgeni Malkin with 3.6 seconds left in the second period. This goal gave Pittsburgh momentum going into the third, and it showed when they tied the game up less than three minutes into the period.
The remainder of the period was controlled largely by the Penguins. The best opportunity for the Bruins came on Brad Marchand’s penalty shot with just over a minute left in the game. It would have felt as though Boston stole the game in the final minutes if Marchand had been able to convert his opportunity, which he nearly did, sliding the puck through Murray’s legs and wide of the net.
Boston has five days off before they see the Montreal Canadiens next Saturday for Hockey Night in Canada at the Bell Centre.
It will be the first of three meetings in the span of a week between the two storied rivals, and the first time the Bruins faceoff against former head coach Claude Julien, who was fired by the team back on February 7th.
Photo: (BostonBruins.com)
Pittsburgh outshot Boston 35-25 in the game. Boston won the slight majority of faceoffs with 51.6%. The Penguins out-hit the Bruins 36-28 and went 2/3 on the power play, while Boston failed to convert either of their two odd-man advantages.
Next Game: Saturday, January 13th at Montreal (five days off for league-mandated bye week).
Takeaways
The atmosphere of this one felt like that of a high-scoring playoff matchup. Boston came out and notched the first goal, only for Pittsburgh to come back with three of their own before the period was over.
The Bruins regained momentum, scoring four consecutive goals, after what felt like complete domination by the Penguins to close out the first 20 minutes.
What appeared to suck the life out of Boston was the goal by Evgeni Malkin with 3.6 seconds left in the second period. This goal gave Pittsburgh momentum going into the third, and it showed when they tied the game up less than three minutes into the period.
The remainder of the period was controlled largely by the Penguins. The best opportunity for the Bruins came on Brad Marchand’s penalty shot with just over a minute left in the game. It would have felt as though Boston stole the game in the final minutes if Marchand had been able to convert his opportunity, which he nearly did, sliding the puck through Murray’s legs and wide of the net.
Boston has five days off before they see the Montreal Canadiens next Saturday for Hockey Night in Canada at the Bell Centre.
It will be the first of three meetings in the span of a week between the two storied rivals, and the first time the Bruins faceoff against former head coach Claude Julien, who was fired by the team back on February 7th.
Photo: (BostonBruins.com)
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