By: Tom Calautti | Follow me on Twitter/X @TCalauttis
The Boston Bruins earned their 13th straight home win last night, defeating the LA Kings 2-1 in overtime. Mason Lohrei and Charlie McAvoy scored, while Jeremy Swayman made 14 saves en route to the victory.
“Overall, it was very good…And that’s the way we have to play,” said head coach Marco Sturm following the victory. “I’m trying to explain to the guys, this is playoff hockey right here. From now on, it’s just going to be that way the whole month. And it’s good for us to see how you have to play those kinds of games.”
The headline of this game was the health of McAvoy, who went down the tunnel a little over halfway through the second period when he was hit from behind by LA’s Samuel Helenius. The Olympic Gold Medalist went face-first into the boards and immediately retreated to the locker room following the play.
The Bruins fandom was able to breathe a heavy sigh of relief as the team took the ice for the third period, as McAvoy returned to the ice and rejoined his teammates for a crucial final frame.
“He’s tough as nails, man,” said Swayman of his teammate. “You always know he’s going to respond to whatever comes his way…That’s a special individual on our team, and I’m so happy that he’s getting the success he deserves right now.”
Apart from the injury scare, the game was a tight-checking, low-event affair with a playoff atmosphere. Both teams managed only 18 shots across the first 40 minutes, and it wasn’t until almost halfway through the third period that the Bruins were able to break the tie.
Lohrei opened the scoring at the 8:22 mark of the final frame, taking a cross-blueline pass from Hampus Lindholm, stepping into the top of the right circle, and ripping a wrister past LA’s Darcy Kuemper. The goal was Lohrei’s first in 14 games, and it gave the Bruins a late 1-0 lead.
“I was telling Mase, the crowd pop on that first goal is pretty insane,” said Fraser Minten. “Just waiting all game for one. We love playing (at home).”
Boston played a solid defensive effort, limiting the Kings to just 15 shots on goal and keeping the high-danger areas clear for the majority of the night. Their one blemish came at the 14-minute mark when Drew Doughty stepped into a one-timer, which ricocheted off Elias Lindholm’s skate and past Swayman to knot the game at one.
For the ninth straight time these two teams have met at TD Garden, the Bruins and Kings were headed to overtime. It was there that a battered and bruised McAvoy played hero and lifted his team to victory.
Mark Kastelic was sent out to take the overtime faceoff and lost the draw, meaning he had to remain on the ice. After a Swayman save on Artemi Panarin, it was Kastelic who hit David Pastrnak with an outlet pass, which led to a break. Pastrnak sprung McAvoy on a breakaway, and he deked past Kuemper to give the Bruins the victory.
McAvoy only took two questions from the media after the game because he needed additional dental work. He praised the team dentist and lamented the fact that he just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to facial injuries.
“You know, I wish the hits would stop coming honestly,” said McAvoy. “I’m just really happy we got two points here tonight, honestly. I didn’t feel great or have my stuff tonight, but to see it go in at the end, it kind of feels like all is forgiven…I just need to get some rest, and I’ll be better on Thursday.”
The Bruins still sit in the Eastern Conference’s final wild card spot. One interesting out-of-town development is that the Detroit Red Wings fell to the Florida Panthers, which has them in the first wild-card spot. Boston has a game in hand on Detroit and only trails them by one point in the standings.
The Black and Gold will return to action on Thursday night to take on Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks.
Game Notes
- With his goal tonight McAvoy now has five points in his last four games.
- Pastrnak’s assist on the overtime winner gives him a three-game point streak (1-3-4).
- Viktor Arvidsson assisted on the opening goal. He has 2-4-6 in his last four contests.
- Fraser Minten hit both a post and a crossbar tonight, he’s getting closer to regaining his pre-Olympics scoring touch.
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