After two full days to recharge their batteries, the Boston Bruins began a four-game road trip with a 6-3 victory Tuesday night in San Jose. Boston improved to 5-2-0 on the young season.
While it was not always pretty against the Sharks, the Bruins found a way to bank two points. Jeremy Swayman, making his sixth start in Boston’s first seven contests, was terrific between the pipes. The Bruins continued to find scoring throughout their lineup en route to the win.
First Period
In the middle of the frame, Mason Lohrei fired a wrist shot in, but the goal was waved off right away. The referee deemed that Marat Khusnutdinov interfered with Yaroslav Askarov.
But the Bruins would officially get on the board courtesy of Fraser Minten. After Casey Mittelstadt corralled his own rebound behind the net, the veteran forward fed the puck to Minten near the right point. The young centerman wired an absolute laser home to give Boston a 1-0 lead.
However, the Sharks would respond soon after. As a San Jose power play was winding down, Jacob Trouba had the puck on his stick near the center of the blue line. The veteran defenseman fired a shot in from long distance to knot the game at one-score aside.
It was a frustrating goal to allow for multiple reasons. Boston had a neutral zone draw with seven seconds left on the penalty kill, and Bruins head coach Marco Sturm sent out Matthew Poitras and David Pastrnak. Poitras promptly got kicked out of the faceoff dot, and Pastrnak lost the draw.
San Jose got into the offensive zone as their man advantage was concluding. The long-range chance from Trouba looked like a routine save for Swayman. But with Charlie McAvoy directly in front of the Bruins netminder, the puck, which may have been partially deflected as well, found the back of the net. But late in the period, McAvoy really found his game in the offensive zone.
During a heck of a shift for the new second line of Minten centering Khusnutdinov and JJ Peterka, McAvoy won inside ice against Barclay Goodrow. Peterka delivered a terrific feed from near the goal line, and McAvoy buried the opportunity before crashing into Askarov. While it was not always a smooth frame for the Bruins, Boston took a 2-1 lead into the first period intermission.
Second Period
In the middle frame, the Sharks started on time and consistently pressured the Bruins in their defensive zone. Swayman had to make multiple key saves to keep Boston ahead on the scoreboard. But you can only play like that for so long before it costs you.
After a Pastrnak failed to clear attempt, Nikita Zadorov tripped up Macklin Celebrini. With San Jose back on the man advantage, the Sharks captain made a stupendous backdoor feed to Ivar Stenberg. The young winger deflected in the empty-net score for his first-ever NHL goal.
But as the period went on, the Bruins would string together better shifts. After Morgan Geekie delivered a cross-corner dump in near the end of his shift, Mark Kastelic went in on the forecheck.
As Kastelic drew two Sharks towards him, the puck bounced to Poitras, who was alone in front of the San Jose net. The Boston forward banged home the opportunity to reclaim the lead for the Bruins.
The last 30 seconds of the period were chaos. McAvoy and Celebrini got tangled in the corner after a Sharks surge. Pastrnak then sprung Geekie into a potential two-on-one.
After slowing down the pace to wait for reinforcements, Geekie fed the puck to his centerman. Pavel Zacha slid to the edge of the left circle before ripping home a wrist shot with three seconds left in the frame to give Boston the all-important insurance tally.
The Bruins gladly took the 4-2 lead into the second intermission. While it was far from a perfect period, Swayman’s terrific goaltending and timely scoring from the skaters kept Boston up by two after 40 minutes.
Third Period
Early on, it was clear the Sharks would not go away quietly. After a too many men on the ice call against Boston, San Jose was given their fourth power play of the contest. Stenberg made a slick cross-ice pass to Celebrini, who was anchored in the right faceoff circle. His rocket beat Swayman clean, and those two talented Sharks linked up for their second power play tally of the contest.
With less than ten minutes left, the second line would again use their speed to create a three-on-two. Lohrei joined the party as well, a very similar sequence to a goal he scored against the Flyers with that line on the ice in Boston’s last game.
Lohrei did not make a clean pass on the rush, but the puck still got to Khusnutdinov on the right side. The winger found his centerman in front of the blue paint, and Minten buried his second score of the night to get Boston back to a two-goal cushion.
Will Borgen put a bow on this one with a billiard bounce off the boards for an empty-net goal and his first as a Bruin. Boston secured two points and started their four-game road trip with a 6-3 victory.
Closing Thoughts
Swayman was again stellar in the crease, stopping 35 of 38 shots and only allowing one even-strength score. He has been terrific to start the campaign.
Moreover, Boston continued to balance out the stat sheet. 13 skaters picked up at least one point. Forwards on the first, second, and fourth line potted goals. And two defensemen found the back of the net. That combination of elite goaltending, solid defense, and scoring throughout the lineup has been the recipe for Boston’s 5-2-0 start.
The Bruins will look to keep the momentum rolling as they travel down the California coast. Boston will be in Anaheim on Friday to take on the Ducks, then battle the Kings Saturday night in Los Angeles.
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