(Photo Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports)
When you’re second in the league standings, it’s okay to eat a loss every now and then. Tonight’s heavyweight matchup between the Vegas Golden Knights, third in the league, and the Boston Bruins lived up to the expectations. The Bruins’ three-game win streak and 14-game home streak ended as they lost 4-3 in a shootout. However, this game had more meaning.
The first period was filled with waterworks. This was the first game back in Boston for former Bruins head coach, Bruce Cassidy, since becoming head coach of the Golden Knights last June. The Bruins displayed a warming video tribute for Cassidy in the first period. It was followed by a standing ovation from Bruins fans that had Cassidy choked up behind the bench.
After getting the emotional part out of the way, the Bruins had to get to work because the Golden Knights put two up on the board five minutes into the game. The first period was all Vegas who were playing without star players, Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo. The second period started out with much of the same as Paul Cotter netted his second of the game nearly a minute in. However, the tide slowly shifted in Boston’s favor.
It was the Bruins’ usual suspect, Brad Marchand, scoring Boston’s first of the night off a cross-crease pass from Patrice Bergeron. With the period winding down, Charlie McAvoy dumped the puck around the boards for David Pastrnak to do what he does best. Score highlight reel goals. Pastrnak’s spin-o-rama around William Karlsson led to an open slot and cut the Vegas lead to one to end the second period.
The third period started out with a bang as the Bruins went on an early 5-on-3. The Bruins’ powerplay is the second-best in the league at 29.5% behind the Colorado Avalanche at 32.5%. Also, the B’s have scored a powerplay goal in nine consecutive games, and Taylor Hall made it 10 tonight. The Bruins completed the comeback and TD Garden is buzzing. The only thing left to do is to win.
With the third period ending, overtime was to decide whether the Bruins stay hot or not. After being on the powerplay in OT, the dominant Bruins’ powerplay couldn’t find the back of the net with their four shots on goal. The game ended in a shootout as former Bruin, Reilly Smith, scored the only goal to win it for Vegas. Jeremy Swayman’s record is now 5-2-1.
The Bruins will fly to Colorado to take on the reigning champs on Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.
