By: Jeff Playdon | Follow me @PlaydonJeff
Bruins look to make it 5 Straight Wins
As Boston continued their road trip in Canada, they looked to extend their win streak to five games as they visited the struggling Edmonton Oilers at the Rexall Place. Coming into this game, Boston had won four straight while Edmonton looked to bounce back from a 5-0 embarrassing loss to the St. Louis Blues. Scratches for the game included Andrew Ference, Shane Hnidy, and Daniel Paille for Boston, and the Edmonton Oilers Colin Fraser, Jean-Francois Jacques, and Liam Reddox. After a domination performance against Vancouver, Boston decided to give Tim Thomas the night off and start young Goaltender Tuukka Rask. Edmonton’s starting goaltender would be Devan Dubnyk.
1st Period Excitement
The first period started, and Boston did not get off on the right foot. It took Edmonton just 1:05 into the period to score, and just like that, it was 1-0 Edmonton. Ales Hemsky would be credited the goal with assists going to Jim Vandermeer and Dustin Penner. With Boston again getting scored on first, they looked to dig themselves out of an early hole and try to tie the game. Seven minutes later, Theo Peckham of the Oilers threw a high hit at David Krejci in front of the Boston bench, and Nathan Horton decided to stick up for his teammate and drop the gloves with Theo Peckham.
Horton would throw a heavy right hand and drop Peckham. Both got five-minute fighting penalties, and the game proceeded. As the fight gave Boston momentum, the Bruins would capitalize with 4:30 left in the period when Michael Ryder tied the game. The assists went to Milan Lucic and Adam McQuaid. With Lucic getting another assist, he extended his point streak. Just three minutes later, the Bruins scored off a Nathan Horton wrist shot, and the Bruins took a 2-1 lead. Boston would go into the intermission up 2-1 and outshooting Edmonton by a staggering 15-5. If Edmonton wanted to come back in this game, they would have to get more shots on net and play with better focus. With the way Boston played in the first, that seemed hard to believe.
Bruins extend their Lead
As the second period started, Edmonton looked to tie the game, and just 16 seconds into the period, they would get a break. Adam McQuaid would be called for a tripping penalty, and Edmonton went on the powerplay. Edmonton could not convert, and just ten seconds after the Edmonton powerplay Boston would end up on the powerplay off a Kurtis Foster tripping penalty. Boston would not convert, and it was back to 5 on 5 hockey. Nothing exciting would happen until 8:01 into the period when Edmonton rookie winger Taylor Hall got called for roughing, and Boston would have its second powerplay opportunity of the period. Boston could not convert again, but, with the period winding down, recently acquired centerman Rich Peverley would score his first goal as a Bruin and propel Boston to a 3-1 lead. The period ended, and once again, Boston dominated the Oilers in the shot column 17-7.
Oilers attempt to Claw Back
With the third period starting, Edmonton looked to crawl out of a two-goal deficit and do more on the offensive side. Just 3:18 into the third, Edmonton would start the comeback by scoring off a wrist shot from Gilbert Brule. The lead was just 3-2 for Boston, and Edmonton had some momentum going for them. As Edmonton had momentum, just 24 seconds later, Brad Marchand dropped the gloves with Andrew Cogliano, and both would head to the box for fighting. Then, just one minute later, Milan Lucic would drop the gloves! Lucic would get in a fight with Jim Vandermeer, and it was an even bout. Both would land some jabs and then head to the box for five minutes. Throughout the rest of the period, Edmonton would try to crawl back, but Boston wouldn’t allow it. Boston would end up hanging on and edge out the Oilers 3-2.
On to Ottawa
Looking back at this game, this was a scrappy lopsided victory for the Bruins. Even though the scoreboard didn’t show it, the shot total for each team did. Boston ended up outshooting the Oilers 40-17! If anything, Edmonton goaltender Devan Dubnyk kept the Oilers in this game as he had 37 saves on 40 shots. On the other side of the ice, Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask had 15 saves on 17 shots. It was a slow night for Tuukka, but a win is a win. The three stars of the game were Nathan Horton and Michael Ryder for Boston, and Gilbert Brule for the Oilers. As this was Boston’s fifth win in a row, all coming on the road, they looked to make it six straight when they would face Ottawa on March 1st and finish off the road trip.
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