Boston Bruins: Two Plays That Was the Difference vs. NYI
By Scott Roche
After losing their first five games this season to the New York Islanders, the Boston Bruins were able to get over the hump and win the first of a two-game series at the TD Garden Thursday night, 4-1.
Hanging onto the fourth and final East Division playoff berth by four points over the New York Rangers heading into Friday night’s game, the Black and Gold were in a position to stretch that lead on the idle Rangers with one game in hand.
Behind a strong performance in net by rookie Jeremy Swayman who made 25 saves for his first career shutout, the Bruins won 3-0, but it was who scored the goals that may be more important in the long run for Boston.
Two plays turn out to be the difference for the Bruins.
Heading into Friday night’s game, David Pastrnak had been without a goal in his last six games and you could see the frustration starting to take its role on the former Maurice Rocket Richard Award winner.
He was missing on his one-timed slap shot attempts and he seemed to be fighting the puck in just about every shift. That changed Friday night late in the first period.
Newly acquired defensemen Mike Reilly pinched along the left wall to collect the puck in the corner and sent a pass to Pastrnak in front of the net. Pastrnak was able to roof the pass under the crossbar with three seconds left for a 1-0 Bruins’ lead. You could tell that it looked like the world was lifted off of Pasta’s shoulders.
In the second period, Taylor Hall, who was acquired late Sunday night from the Buffalo Sabres, was able to redirect a pass from David Krejci between the legs of Islanders goalie Ilya Soroka for a 2-0 Boston lead. It was Hall’s second goal in as many games and his fourth of the season.
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Those were the biggest two offensive plays of the game that provided the Bruins with a two-goal lead against one of the better defensive teams in the league. Having Hall and Pastrnak find the back of the net can only get them going and if that happens, the Bruins become a different team.