Halak, B’s shut out Philly
Goalie stays strong ’til mates connect
What lacked in action early was made up for and then some at the end. The Bruins didn’t score until more than midway through the second period en route to their 3-0 win over the Flyers last night at the Garden. Once they got on the board, things escalated, in the scoring and physicality departments.
Zdeno Chara scored twice, including a rink-length empty netter, but the real story was who was stopping the goals. Jaroslav Halak played like a No. 1 goalie in his fifth start where he earned his second shutout. He stopped 11 shots in the second period, and 26 overall, while the Bruins found their legs. “We told Jaro, listen, if you come in and play, we’re not going to limit your starts, we’re going to allow the competition to grow and evolve,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “He’s done a really good job.” Halak lost two in a row in Edmonton and Vancouver, both in overtime, but has outperformed Rask in nearly every statistical department. While the job is still Rask’s to lose — for now — Halak’s performance has helped the Bruins gain points. That hasn’t gone unnoticed, and won’t be unrewarded. “If Jaro is able to push (Rask) and eventually take the job, if and when that happens, then we’ll look at that,” said Cassidy. “We’re going to keep it as balanced as possible.” Halak had one shutout a year ago with the Islanders, and last night’s win already eclipsed that total. “Every time you play a game, you’re hoping to get a win,” said Halak. “When you can get a shutout it’s more special, but it’s a team effort, everybody is on the same page.” Chara got the Bruins on the scoreboard with seven minutes left in the second, taking a Danton Heinen pass on the left point and blasting it past Brian Elliott for his second tally of the season. Minutes later, the B’s took advantage of the Flyers 30thranked penalty kill, rotating on the right circle as David Krejci found Jake DeBrusk (No. 3), in front for a tip-in with 2:32 to go in the period. Once the Bruins were ahead, frustration mounted for a struggling Flyers squad. In the third, Kampfer was sent to the box for a roughing double minor after it looked like he was engaged in a fight with Scott Laughton. Wayne Simmonds jumped into the fray and earned a roughing call of his own, but the Flyers ended up on the power play. Laughton was ejected with 3:57 left following a DeBrusk penalty call, where the Bruins winger tried to get even for his stick being knocked from his hand. In the stoppage, Laughton dropped the gloves and hit Kampfer up high, resulting in a 5-on-3. “I hit him and he said, ‘that’s enough, let’s do this’ and backed off and he fake dropped and I real dropped, and I guess that’s how it happened,” said Kampfer. “The second one, he asked me what happened and I told him. I had my glove in my mouth and he threw his gloves off. If you want to do it, do it the first time.” The Flyers penalties prevented them from inching back in it, and Chara’s final tally sealed the win, leaving the Bruins the only undefeated team on home ice in the NHL. Next up is Montreal, with Rask in net.