With the postponement of the Florida Panthers tilt, thanks to horrendous weather in the North-East. Bruins fans were made to wait until Saturday night to see the B’s back in action, it was more than worth the wait.
First Period:
The buildup to the game suggested it was to be an open one. The game produced exactly that in the opening frame with the Boston Bruins teeing off on the hapless Hurricanes. For a city that has been so cold, the Bruins came out of the gates hot as Patrice Bergeron made it 1-0, with his 13th of the season. Just 194 seconds into the fixture, Bergeron slotting it short-handed after a feed from Brad Marchand.
It would only take another 149 seconds before the Bruins pounced again. This time former Carolina Hurricane Riley Nash with a wicked snapshot from the right-hand circle over the glove of Cam Ward. Prompting a rather quick goalie change, as Ward’s head clearly wasn’t in the game.
Jordan Staal would get one back for Carolina as the Bruins gave up a second powerplay in just over seven minutes. It was at this point that David Pastrnak felt left out of the early barrage and felt he had to chime in. Blasting a one-timer past the sprawling Scott Darling who could tell he was in for a rough night in snowy Mass.
And There’s More…
The fourth was a thing of beauty. An unusual yet satisfying high cycle at the right hand side of the blue line, led to Ryan Spooner with acres of space to unleash a wrist shot towards Scott Darling. Rookie Jake DeBrusk would get a tip to make it his ninth of the year.
Patrice Bergeron would make it five just 14:34 into the game with his second goal and third point of the game. Brad Marchand grinding in the corner to place the puck on a plate for Patrice who fired past Darling into the top left. With three points in the first period, Patrice Bergeron made it to 700 career points.
The barrage started here. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/MSOZN2rs1X
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 7, 2018
It was worth noting here that the Bruins are 17-1-4 when scoring first in a game.
Second Period:
Yes that was only the first period. The second would begin with the same intensity and speed that made the first so enthralling.
Patrice Bergeron completed his hat-trick on another feed from Marchand and a secondary assist for Pastrnak, and he wasn’t done there. Netting his fourth, five minutes later on a pass from David Pastrnak and Marchand getting his fourth assist of the night. The line chemistry between these three is no mystery to Bruins fans but when it clicks, it’s arguably one of the best in the league, if not the best.
The Bruins left the ice after the second leading Carolina 7-1 and were worth every goal. Underestimated in this game was the way in which the blue-line sprung the forwards on the quick breakaway. Working in tandem with each other, and producing no howlers like we saw in New York (sorry Brandon Carlo).
The commentators on NESN joked that they predicted that the top lines would simply neutralise each other in the game, evidently not the case in this one.
Next: Bruins are Legitimate Playoff Contenders
Third Period:
With an eye clearly on tomorrow’s meeting with the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins, the pace of the game slowed drastically. Which showed you just how in control the Boston Bruins were throughout this game. Dictating the pace from the first puck drop. To the disappointment of everyone in TD Garden Patrice Bergeron couldn’t become the first player to score five in a game since Johan Franzen for the Detroit Red Wings back in 2011.
Next up
All-in-all a fantastic night for the Boston Bruins. Bergeron finishing up with five points, Marchand with four and Pastrnak with three. Boston’s top line was firing on all cylinders and catapulted their time to an emphatic win. The Bruins move to 23-10-6 for the season, and are 8-0-2 in their last ten.
Boston Bruins fans won’t have to wait long for their next Black & Gold fix. Tomorrow, the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champions enter TD Garden desperate for a win. Let’s hope the B’s can put in a similar performance, as they were simply too good for the Carolina Hurricanes tonight.