Boston Bruins: B’s Fall in Overtime to Philadelphia
With just four games remaining in the regular season the Boston Bruins could’ve opened up a three point gap on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Unfortunately they had to settle for just a single point in the city of brotherly love.
Electric pace to start this one and Petr Mrázek performed some daylight robbery on David Pastrnak, gloving number eighty-eight who seemingly had an open goal. The Philadelphia Flyers responded to nearly going behind by putting themselves in front from a classic three-on-two. Ivan Provorov the centre in this attack flicked it out right to Konecny who laterally passed to Claude Giroux in the left-hand space. Giroux on one knee fired it past Anton Khudobin.
Travis Konecny wasn’t finished with the Bruins just yet. Undressing Adam McQuaid by chipping the pick over him and caressing the puck back down before deking the best defensive forward in the league who showed a rare defensive mishap. Konecny then placed it past Khudobin.
2-0 Flyers but the Boston Bruins had outshot their hosts 22-11, an Easter Sunday head scratcher.
Travis Konecny was absolutely flying in this one and if it wasn’t for Anton Khudobin even getting to overtime would’ve proved miraculous. Khudobin stoned him cold by flicking out the left pad and denying the Canadian his second.
The Bruins finally got going with Noel Acciari. Danton Heinen down low battled hard and played the puck to Backes who was just level with the net. Backes played it back to Acciari who roofed it glove side from the left-hand side. 2-1.
Bruins were 32-15 in terms of shots at this point.
Some rust from Zdeno Chara almost allowed Read in behind with an awkward bouncing puck on the B’s blue line with Chara facing his own net. Khudobin once again bailing his team out of trouble.
Rookie Nolan Patrick got in on the action with some unfortunately delightful play for the Flyers. Lindblom dished the puck to the tape of the onrushing Patrick who goes over Khudobin’s glove to make it 3-1 Flyers.
David Pastrnak got the Bruins back within one on the powerplay, a solo effort form the left-side boards before shooting just before being level with the goal line. Beating Mrazek from a ridiculous angle.
With the goalie pulled and just 3.8 seconds remaining on the clock, the most resilient of Bruins teams in recent years did it again. Backes tried to find Marchand, the puck ricocheted to Patrice Bergeron who fires home. An incredible celebration from the B’s clad in white huddling at the thought of a point gained and maybe two.
It was just to be the singular point this afternoon. Claude Giroux receiving the puck on his own skated in one-on-one on Khudobin and deked the Russian into submission with a frankly filthy finish.
It wasn’t the result the Bruins wanted/needed with Tampa likely to breath down their necks for the next four games but they have that all important two point gap on their rivals. Not that the Bruins should be worried but if there’s a possibility of missing Toronto in the first-round I think everyone supporting this team would be a little relieved.