By: Liz Rizzo | Follow me on Twitter@pastagrl88
The Boston Bruins won a tough match-up tonight over the Calgary Flames partly due to special teams and great goaltending. Linus Ullmark made timely saves giving the B’s a perfect home-ice record of 8-0. As the Bruins found ways to win, an old pattern for the team reared its head tonight as they found themselves playing with the man disadvantage. Charlie McAvoy scored the game-winner in his season debut.
In the first of many penalties tonight, Boston started the first period down a player when Connor Clifton was called for holding against Brett Ritchie. As the penalty expired, Noah Hanafin opened up the scoring at 04:43, netting his first of the season. A holding call against Boston’s Craig Smith gave the B’s their first power play of the night but despite pressure and good scoring chances on former Bruins’ goaltender Dan Vlader, the Bruins were unable to tie the game.
Clifton redeemed himself, scoring his first goal of the season off his own rebound, tying the game 1-1. Both Tomas Nosek and David Pastrnak got the helpers. Boston went to the power play in the last minute of the period however gameplay turned to four-on-four action when Jake DeBrusk went off for interference against Vlader.
DeBrusk continued to serve his penalty to open up the second period. Unfortunately the B’s found themselves once again down a player when Brandon Carlo was called for tripping against Kevin Rooney. A high-sticking call on Matt Grzelcyk against Tyler Toffoli gave the team its fourth penalty of the night. Luckily special teams kept the game tied at one-a-piece.
The Bruins had a couple of chances to take the lead when they were on the power-play; MacKenzie Weeger was called for tripping against Jakub Zboril and Dillon Dube was nabbed for holding against Charlie Coyle. A returning Charlie McAvoy made quite the debut as he scored the game-winning goal, giving the B’s a 2-1 lead as the power play expired. Pavel Zacha notched his 400th career point with the assist on the McAvoy’s goal. Hampus Lindholm would get his 10th point of the season for the assist.
Nick Foligno took offense to hit on Tomas Nosek, dropping the gloves as he squared off against Kevin Rooney. The interaction earned Foligno an interference and fighting penalty, giving the Flames another power play.
Brandon Carlo would once again see the penalty box tonight as he went off the ice on a tripping call against Nick DeSimone. The Bruins had a late power-play chance when Brett Ritchie tripped Hampus Lindholm. With time ticking away, Calgary pulled Vlader in hopes of tying the game however Pastrnak sealed the win as he scored an empty-netter.
FINAL SCORE: BOS-3, CGY-1
TOTAL SHOTS ON GOAL: BOS-28, CGY-32
Boston 8-0 on home ice and are now 12-2-0. McAvoy missed the first 13 games of the season after having offseason shoulder surgery as he score his first goal of the season.
NEXT GAME: Saturday 12, 2022 versus Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Center with puck drop at 7:00 pm
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