Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
This is the first meeting of the season between the Bruins and the L.A. Kings. Both teams have struggled of late; LA has lost 6 of their last 7 games and is 4-5-1 in their last 10. The B’s are 6-4-0 in comparison.
In net: Tuukka Rask and Jonathan Quick
The Bruins worked hard to start the game but didn’t register a single shot for over five minutes. You can’t score if you don’t shoot!
The Kings got the first goal when the B’s had the unusual defensive pairing of Johnny Boychuk and Adam McQuaid.
Boychuk playing out of position, fanned on a clearing attempt that Center Anze Kopitar picked up then quickly dished off to Center Jeff Carter. Rask saved Carter’s initial shot but couldn’t stop the rebound shot from Carter. Boychuk failed to take Carter out of the play.
The period would end with LA still on the Power Play.
After 1 period; 1-0 Kings Shots: 13-5 L.A.
Immediately after killing the period overlapping penalty to Dougie Hamilton he would have to turn around and go right back into the box. He played the puck with his stick while still standing in the box. It didn’t take long for them to take advantage. Kings Defenseman Slava Voynov made a forward pass to streaking Winger Justin Williams, who fired a wrister over the top of Rask for a Power Play goal.
With a Faceoff in the Bruins zone, Kings Center Mike Richards won the draw back to Robyn Regehr who dished it off to fellow Defenseman Alec Martinez, who then fired a slapper past Rask.
*After that goal Tuukka Rask was pulled, Chad Johnson was inserted.
The B’s would finally get on the board when Dougie Hamilton stole a Kings pass, pushed the puck to Carl Soderberg who dished a perfect pass to Matt Fraser (2) who “one-timed” the puck past Quick.
After 2 periods; 3-1 Shots: 14-7 L.A.
The B’s started the period with good pressure, none better than the Spooner feed to Soderberg who fired a shot that Quick flashed his blocker at for the save.
The next L.A. goal came about when Hamilton couldn’t keep the puck in, allowing Justin Williams to push the puck to Center Jarrett Stoll, who then passed to Dustin Brown who beat Johnson, blocker side.
The B’s would get their second goal when Danny Paille intercepted a pass, then dished it to Johnny Boychuk who fired a wrist shot on net that was tipped in by Justin Florek (1) for his first NHL goal.
4-2 Kings. Shot totals: 35-22 L.A.
Next up for the Bruins a Saturday night (10:30pm) game against the San Jose Sharks. Go B’s!