The younger and speedy Chicago Blackhawks gave the Bruins all they may deal with, however it was a child in Black and Gold who determined the enjoyable back-and-forth dwelling opener on the Backyard on Thursday.
On a 2-on-1 in extra time, Fraser Minten saved it for himself and sizzled a wrist shot previous goalie Arvid Soderblom to carry the B’s to a 4-3 victory.
Nikita Zadorov made defensive play within the Boston zone to ship Minten off with Morgan Geekie on the successful play. Joonas Korpisalo (21 saves) additionally made two terrific saves in OT, one on a Connor Bedard clear break-in.
It could have been a pricey victory, nonetheless, as defenseman Hampus Lindolm left the sport within the first interval and didn’t return.
The Bruins didn’t begin out properly, turning the puck over a number of occasions off the opening faceoff and Korpisalo needed to be sharp. The turnovers can be a harbinger of issues to return.
The B’s finally acquired their footing and, after the highest line did all of the scoring within the opening night time win in Washington, they acquired some welcome manufacturing from the second line when Casey Mittelstadt scored his first of the yr 3:53 into the sport. Viktor Arvidsson had made a pleasant transfer to get round a Chicago defender however he was compelled broad and behind the online. He despatched a go out entrance that rattled round outdated pal Matt Grzelcyk’s skates. Mittelstadt was in a position to pounce on it and sneak the puck beneath Soderblom’s pads.
The Blackhawks, nonetheless, capitalized on a pricey turnover. After a clear faceoff win within the circle to Korpisalo’s proper, Nikita Zadorov got here across the web and despatched the puck into area on the left circle. Bedard gathered it and the Hawks went again to work. Bedard dished the puck and floated over to the opposite aspect. Andre Burakovsky discovered him with a cross-ice go and Bedard sniped it over Korpisalo’s shoulder at 8:19.
However what was extra regarding got here at 12:23, when Lindholm, enjoying his second sport again after lacking most of final season with a damaged kneecap, left the sport. It was not instantly clear what was ailing him. He didn’t return for the second interval.
The Blackhawks created increasingly more turnovers within the B’s zone after which took the lead at 2:22 on what seemed like a nothing play. Off a Chicago faceoff win, the puck went out to the proper level and defenseman Louis Crevier, whose shot appeared to go off Tanner Jeannot’s skate and over Korpisalo’s shoulder, giving the B’s their first deficit of the season.
Jeannot acquired it again, nonetheless, along with his first aim as a Bruin at 9:10 off third line shift. Mikey Eyssimont collected an errant Henri Jokiharju shot behind the online and went work. He made a pleasant transfer to get out to the left circle and, discovering a mushy spot on the Chicago, took the puck towards the online. He snapped off a shot that didn’t get by means of, however the puck went proper to Jeannot, who had an empty web to attain.
The B’s caught a break late within the interval when, with 1:10 left within the interval, Ryan Greene was referred to as for crosschecking Marat Khusnutdinov. Then on the following faceoff, outdated pal Nick Foligno was referred to as for enjoying the puck along with his hand on the draw and the B’s had a full two-minute 5-on-3.
They may not money in earlier than the second interval was up, however it took them 15 seconds within the third to capitalize. With Pavel Zacha, on one aspect of the online, tried to get a go over to Elias Lindholm on the opposite aspect. It hit a Chicago skate in entrance and sat there for Lindholm to brush it in for a 3-2 lead.
It could be short-lived.
The B’s coughed up the puck within the offensive zone after which the Blackhawks broke out with velocity, leaving many of the Bruins behind. Finally, Burakovsky took a go in the course of he ice and beat Korpisalo from the slot at 2:22.
The B’s needed to kill off a Charlie McAvoy interference penalty on Bedard – a chintzy name – at 9:50. Because the B’s have been ending off the kill, issues acquired rambunctious after Bedard threw successful after the whistle. After a few extending wrestling matches, Zadorov and Sean Kuraly went off for the B’s and Frank Nazar and Artyom Levshunov acquired despatched to the field.
With about 6:20 left in regulation, the B’s had an amazing probability to retake the lead on no a 2-on-1 when Minten fed Jeannot, however Soderblom made an amazing pad save to maintain the sport tied.
The B’s acquired yet one more energy play with 2:42 left within the third when Levshunov high-sticked Geekie. That they had a number of Grade A possibilities however couldn’t get the winner and the sport went to the additional session.
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