Red Wings Dismantle Bruins in Third Period for 3-2 Victory
Apr 2, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Gustav Nyquist (14) scores a gol on Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) in the third period at Joe Louis Arena. Detroit won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Bruins Drop 9-Game Road Winning Streak
The Boston Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in a tight 4-3 shootout victory last Sunday.
However, they couldn’t get the better of the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena tonight, despite the neck-and-neck nature of the contest.
The Bruins have been called the best third period team in the NHL, but they didn’t support their expectation, relinquishing a 2-1 lead in the final 20 minutes to ultimately fall to the Red Wings 3-2.
Even though Pavel Datsyuk was rumored to play, Detroit performed without their Russian center.
In the beginning of the first period, the B’s dominated offensive puck possession, as all four lines put forth several great shifts.
Boston was nearly rewarded for their strong play about midway through the third period when Torey Krug zipped a pass up ice to Patrice Bergeron, finding the alternate captain 1-on-1 with Wings’ goalie Jimmy Howard. Bergeron couldn’t get an attempt on frame, though, due to Howard’s smartly-taken poke check.
Subsequently, Tuukka Rask made a blocker stop on a threatening try from Detroit winger Todd Bertuzzi following Kevan Miller‘s inability to snag the puck at his own blue line.
The Bruins were able to muster a goal before the first period ended.
Just after Torey Krug had his goal waved off based on a controversial goalie interference call penalizing Zdeno Chara, Johnny Boychuk smoked a bullet slap shot from the point that completely beat Horward to seize the 1-0 lead.
Roughly five minutes into the second period, the Red Wings knotted the score when Tomas Tatar zoomed a steaming wrist shot near the faceoff circle right by Rask.
The Bruins were handed a couple of power plays but ended the second period still tied at 1-1.
Anyhow, the third period commenced with a bang. Bergeron appeared to injure himself because of a blocked shot endeavor. He fell to the ice and slowly eased himself to a standing position. Still, he continued to skate, and in classic Bergeron style, he provided the B’s with a go-ahead assist–in this case, to Carl Soderberg.
The Red Wings stormed back.
Tomas Jurco took advantage of a messy scuffle in front of the net to skid a puck past Rask, tying the match once again.
A minute later, Chara was outplayed in the neutral zone, and the Bruins were down a defender as a result of substitutions. Gustav Nyquist flew down the ice on a breakaway and struck Rask’s glove side for the score.
The Bruins couldn’t summon any truly legitimate chances in the waning minutes, even when utilizing the extra man with Rask pulled.
The Bruins’ nine-game road winning streak has officially come to an end.