Bergy, B’s take offense
Center scores 2 to douse Flames
Patrice Bergeron this season has put a greater emphasis on the offensive component of his two-way game.
The four-time Selke Award winner scored two
BRUINS 5 FLAMES 2
goals including the gamewinner in the third period last night as the Bruins beat the Calgary Flames, 5-2 at the Garden.
Bergeron leads the B’s with 27 goals and should eclipse his career high of 32 set in 2015-16. He has 11 goals and seven assists in his past 13 games and was the NHL’s second star for January.
“I’m trying to shoot more, and I’m trying to put the puck on net,” Bergeron said. “Obviously when you are in a tight game, you are trying to make a difference and find a way with our line and trying to make something happen.
“I’m trying not to think about it. I’m trying to go out there and stay focused and push myself to be better from one night to another.”
The Bruins, who improved to 20-2-4 in their past 26 games, head out on a five-game road swing that begins Saturday in Vancouver and includes a rematch against the Flames in Calgary on Monday.
Tuukka Rask recovered from a shaky first period and finished the night with 28 saves to record his 23rd victory of the season. The Bruins did the job on special teams with a powerplay goal and five penalty kills against an explosive Flames offense.
But the third period has been Bergeron’s personal playground all season. The Bruins took a 3-2 lead on the power play at 1:15 of the third. Defenseman Torey Krug drew a hooking call against Michael Frolik and made him pay 12 seconds later.
Krug brought the puck into the neutral zone and fed Bergeron, who got behind the defense. Bergeron sized up goalie David Rittich and ripped a wrist shot that found the net for goal No. 26.
“On the power play, we always talk about doing the job, and that was a great pass by Torey,” Bergeron said.
Bergeron put the B’s up 4-2 on a sequence that defines him as a player. The veteran center set the play in motion with a sound defensive move, blocking Frolik’s wrist shot in the high slot and advancing the puck through the neutral zone before feeding David Backes deep in the zone.
Backes slid the puck back to Brad Marchand, who fired an off-balance shot from the top of the circle. Bergeron redirected the puck behind Rittich.
“It was one of those plays where I’m trying to make myself big, and you always try to take care of the (defensive) zone first and then you can think offense,” Bergeron said.
“My first instinct on that was to try and defend the slot and the shot and get away from danger. After that I realized we had an odd-man rush, and obviously after that we were able to sustain some pressure and managed to get the goal.”
Scoring first had been a point of emphasis for Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, and center Riley Nash satisfied that bit of business 28 seconds into the contest. The Flames tied the game 1-1 on an unassisted goal by Sam Bennett.
The Flames went up 2-1 at 9:12 on an alert play by Johnny Gaudreau, who was stationed on the left side of the Bruins crease. The B’s failed to capitalize on a pair of power plays but tied the game 2-2 on Nash’s second of the game at 16:20 of the second period.
Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara finished off the scoring with an empty net goal at 16:14 of the third.