Boston Bruins: Third Period Gut-Check Saved the Black and Gold

Through the first three games of the season, the Boston Bruins had failed to score an even-strength goal. They did have two power play goals and a shorthanded goal in two games against the New Jersey Devils.

Thursday night, the Bruins played their home opener and for the first two periods, Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart frustrated the Bruins even more as he turned back all 18 shots he faced in the 40 minutes to run Boston’s even-strength goalless streak to 11 periods.

Even though it was just game No. 4 of the season, the Boston Bruins faced a 20-minute gut-check in the third period and for the first time in 2021, they respond.

Rookie Jack Studnicka scored his first career NHL goal 57 seconds into the third period to open the flood gates for a four-goal period to help the Bruins rally for a 5-4 shootout victory in what was a huge comeback victory in their first game at the TD Garden in 10 months.

Boston Bruins onslaught started after Studnicka’s goal.

After Studnicka finally got Boston’s first even-strength goal of the season, the flood gates opened in a big way as the Bruins fired 22 third-period shots at Hart. Charlie Coyle tied the game just over a minute later. The Flyers regained the lead at 7:13 of the period, but goals from Nick Ritchie and Brandon Carlo 1:56 a part gave the Bruins their first lead.

A questionable cross-checking call on Sean Kuraly right after Carlo’s goal gave the Flyers a power play which they cashed in on to tie the game.

At that point, it would have been easy for the Bruins to get the frustration back they had in the previous 11 periods. They finally solve their even-strength woes, take the lead, and watch as Philadelphia regained the momentum.

Instead, they went back-and-forth with Philly, made sure that they got to overtime to get at least one point, before winning their second game of the season in a shootout.

Boston rode the back of Tuukka Rask and his 22 saves, five in overtime and three in the shootout, before Jake DeBrusk completed the comeback victory with the game-winning shootout goal.

It’s just four games into the season, but don’t be fooled, that is a victory that most Boston Bruins fans thought might have been possible after the first 40 minutes. The Bruins are still missing their best player in David Pastrnak, but the veterans and young guys played the last 20 minutes and overtime as if they were not going to denied a comeback win in their home opener.