By: Andrew Bluestein | Follow Me On X (Formerly Twitter) @adbblue
The Boston Bruins lost 2-1 in overtime to the New York Rangers Saturday night at TD Garden. It was a battle between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference standings. It was also the third straight overtime game for Boston.
Both teams were playing in the second half of a back-to-back as the Rangers hosted the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night. It didn’t seem like it, though, as the two teams had plenty of energy right from the puck drop.
First Period
The first period started with the Rangers having over a minute straight of offensive zone time, but the Bruins held them off. Boston then had some offensive zone time of their own, getting a great shift from the line of Danton Heinen, Morgan Geekie, and David Pastrnak.
The Rangers had the first high-danger chance when Artemi Panarin got behind the defense, but Jeremy Swayman denied him on a breakaway. The two teams kept trading periods of zone time as the match-up game seemed to be a large factor in the opening frame.
New York had the first power play, but the Bruins, as usual, mostly kept things to the perimeter and killed it off. Jeremy Swayman was strong between the pipes, stopping all eight of the Rangers’ shots on goal. The Bruins finished with five.
Second Period
Boston started the second period with 1:20 of power play time and was unsuccessful. However, just after that, they got on the board. Trent Frederic made it 1-0 after he drove to the net and buried a loose that was set up on a great feed by James Van Riemsdyk.
The Bruins continued to apply pressure, getting a really strong shift from Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, and Jake DeBrusk, but they couldn’t find the back of the net. The physicality ramped up in the second frame, highlighted by a big Pastrnak hit on Ryan Lindgren into the boards. Lindgren returned the favor later in the period when he drove Matt Poitras, who was shaken up, into the boards and immediately left the ice, but he did return.
Boston responded when Frederic challenged Jacob Trouba to a scrap. The two dropped the gloves, and Frederic had a clear advantage, landing a solid punch and then getting takedown. This was perhaps something Frederic wanted to settle from when Trouba slashed him in the head in the team’s first meeting earlier in the season. The period did not finish ideally for the Bruins.
David Pastrnak was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Head coach Jim Montgomery gave his thoughts on the call after the game. “Very Surprised, I thought it was two minutes. I don’t think he hits him anywhere near the numbers. I think he hits him on his shoulder.” Fortunately for the Bruins, Panarin was given two minutes for roughing, so the Rangers didn’t get the full five minutes. Swayman remained solid in net once again, stopping all 12 of the Rangers’ second-period shots. The Bruins registered 11.
Third Period and Overtime
The third period started with ten seconds of four-on-four before the Rangers had about three minutes of a major power play. The Bruins penalty kill was shut down yet again, and New York did not capitalize. There was a stretch of play where things were in a stalemate, and neither team could establish any momentum. The Rangers, however, changed them, cashing in on the power play when Vincent Trocheck beat Swayman from just about the hash marks.
That made it a 1-1 game. Both teams had a few more chances before the end of regulation, but no one scored, and the game went into overtime. The Rangers controlled the possession game during the extra period. Trocheck scored his second goal of the night on a play where he got open down low to give the Rangers a 2-1 overtime victory.
Up Next
Next, the Bruins will take on the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at TD Garden for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. It will be the first of two meetings between teams this season. The Wild earned a big 2-1 shootout win on Saturday over the Vancouver Canucks, and will stop in Pittsburg to play the Penguins on Monday before going to Boston.
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