Bruins Dance with the Stars, but Fall in OT

After their impressive win over the Canadians in Montreal, the Bruins return home to face off with Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars.  With two more games against the Canadians later this week, the Bruins went with backup goalie Anton Khudobin. In an attempt to slow down the dangerous Dallas attack lead by Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alex Radulov and from the back end, John Klingberg.

Coming into Monday’s matinee, the Bruins have managed at least one point in every game since their 5-3 loss to the Capitals way back on December 14th.  They haven’t lost in regulation in over a month, which is a truly great streak this team is on.  They fell just short of defeating the Stars today, but just like the past month, when they do lose, the B’s still manage one point to keep climbing in the standings.

Period 1:

With a 1:00pm puck drop, both teams battled to a scoreless opening 20 minutes.  The Stars did outshoot the Bruins in the first period 12-10.  Both squads came out for the 2nd period searching for the all important first goal of the game.

Period 2:

The Stars would score the first goal as Stephen Johns fires a wrister past Khudobin to give the Stars an 1-0 early in the 2nd period.  The Stars would double their lead later in the period, as right off the faceoff, Alex Radulov picked up the Khudobin rebound and put it home on the backhand to give the Stars a 2-0 lead.  Before the period ended, the Bruins would cut the lead in half, as Zdeno Chara blasted a huge slap shot from just inside the point to cut the Stars lead in half at the end of the period.

3rd Period:

Entering the final frame, the Bruins were looking for the crucial tying goal.  That goal would come courtesy of Ryan Spooner, whose big slapper from the point to tie the game at 2, midway through the 3rd period.  The shot squeaked through Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen and was inadvertently knocked across the goalline by Stars defenseman Esa Lindell.  The puck would have crossed the line anyway, but Lindell got the last touch of the puck before it crossed the line, tying the game and Spooner scored his 5th goal of the season.  The remainder of the period, the game would stay tied at 2, and just like we did on Saturday night in Montreal, the Bruins head to OT.

Overtime:

In the extra frame, the Bruins would fall to the Stars, as former Bruin, Tyler Seguin danced around the three exhausted Bruins on the ice and sniped on over the stacked pads of Anton Khudobin.  The Bruins fall in today’s matinee 3-2 in OT.

Next: Boston Bruins Week 15: The bye week stinks edition

Short Shifts:

• The Bruins are off until Wednesday night, where they host the Montreal Canadians.
• Even with the loss, the Bruins are still 3 points clear of the Maple Leafs for second in the Atlantic Division, with 3 games in hand.
• Alex Radulov’s goal in the 2nd period, was only the second 5 on 5 goal against the Bergeron line this season.
• The point streak is up to 13 games in a row, where the Bruins have at least gotten one point in each game going back to the middle of December.