Boston Bruins: 3 Stars Against the Flyers at Lake Tahoe

After two regulation losses in a row and facing a number of injuries, the Boston Bruins put together one of their better efforts of the season together Sunday night at Lake Tahoe against the Philadelphia Flyers.

For 60 minutes, the Bruins outworked the undermanned Flyers and used some puck luck to build on their lead in the second period. Three Boston goals, 99 seconds apart in the period, turned a 3-2 lead into a comfortable 6-2 lead on their way to a 7-3 victory for their fifth consecutive win against Philly to begin the season.

The Bruins had many outstanding performances in the win, but here are three stars that helped the Bruins improve to 11-3-2 on the season and remain three points ahead of the Washington Capitals in the East Division.

3. Nick Ritchie

Ritchie continues to be one of the Bruins’ biggest surprises in 2021 after a dismal first season in Boston after being acquired at the trade deadline nearly a year ago. He has become a big part of the Bruins power play, setting up shop in front of the net and causing havoc.

Sunday night, the second line left wing assisted on David Pastrnak’s second goal of the game early in the second period, but he scored his own goal later in the period during the three-goal onslaught in 99 seconds.

A net-front presence on the power play all night, it paid off with just over two minutes left in the stanza when he tipped John Moore’s shot from the point past Flyers’ goalie Carter Hart for a 6-2 lead.

He had three minutes of time-on-ice during the Black and Gold’s power plays and could have scored at least another goal as he redirected a shot in the first period just missed the post, but his presence in front of the net is becoming a problem for opposing teams in 2021.