Trailing the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 late in the third period on Saturday afternoon at the TD Garden, the Boston Bruins were looking at a third straight loss right in the face. After dropping a pair of road games and scoring just one goal in each game against the Carolina Hurricanes and St. Louis Blues, they were looking at a brutal loss to the Blackhawks at home.
However, the Bruins rallied with late goals from Mason Lohrei and Morgan Geekie, the latter coming with 10 seconds left in regulation, before Elias Lindholm continued his early-season success by burying the game-winner for a 5-4 win.
After the game, Lindholm joined Adam Pellerin on the NESN postgame show and pointed to the reason why the Black and Gold were able to pull out the second point: goalie Michael DiPietro.
"Wasn't pretty, but big two points,'' said Lindholm. "(DiPietro) was just there to save us... he got those two points.''
Well, if we're being honest, that's the understatement of the year, so far.
Michael DiPietro was the reason the Bruins stole two points against the Blackhawks
Let's be honest, the Bruins really didn't deserve any points in the standings, nevermind the two they got. It wasn't a great effort for 54 minutes, but when push came to shove, they found a way, thanks to DiPietro. He wasn't one of the three stars after the game, but he should have been.
After tearing it up in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins, DiPietro is getting his chance in Boston after general manager Don Sweeney traded away backup goalie Joonas Korpisalo to the New York Rangers. He stood on his head at times against Chicago despite allowing four goals.
DiPietro finished with 37 saves, 13 each in the first and second periods, eight in the third, and three in overtime. He made two big saves in the extra session that allowed Lindholm's goal to be the game-winner.
Goaltending has been the strength of the Bruins through the first 15 games. They have done more than their part in the four regular-season losses. In all four losses, they have had just one goal scored for them, while scoring just two in their overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. Against Chicago, he was called upon to make some big saves, and as he has done for the most part this season, he was up to the challenge. DiPietro and Jeremy Swayman are forming a rather good goalie duo in Boston.
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