Bruins stars tough to top
Marchand’s pair spark comeback
RALEIGH, N.C. -- On a night when almost every part of the Bruins lineup was shuffled, one pairing stayed the same: Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron on the top line.
Their production proved why. Marchand scored twice -including the game-winner in the third -- as the Bruins came from behind to top the Hurricanes, 3-2, last night.
Bergeron assisted on both of his tallies and had three helpers overall, including one on the heels of a tremendous defensive play on the other end of the ice that shifted momentum in the Bruins’ favor.
“We talked about doing the right things, and I think a few times we weren’t taking care of the puck and they came right back at us,” Bergeron said. “In the third, that’s how we wanted to play against a team like them. It’s about the little details and little plays.”
On the other end of the rink. Jaroslav Halak weathered the storm with 42 saves against the most aggressive shooting team in the league.
“Early on we haven’t been good in front of him,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We generally have been. He’s been good for us. No complaints there, he’s been a real rock for us there and I’m glad we were able to come through for him.”
The struggling Hurricanes power play struck eight seconds into a Jeremy Lauzon tripping call. Carolina leading scorer Michael Ferland tapped a loose puck past Halak with 2:06 left in the first frame off a feed from Sebastian Aho, who has totaled points in each of the first 12 games.
It was the sixth time this season the Bruins allowed the first tally.
With just over 10 minutes left in the second, the Bruins looked to have caught a break when David Pastrnak’s pass hit off an official and then a Hurricanes defender before going in the net, but it was waved off.
Pastrnak slammed a shot past Scott Darling from no angle on the goal line for his 11th goal of the year on the Bruins’ third power play to knot it at 1 with 7:38 left in the second.
The goal came moments after Pastrnak played a shift on David Krejci’s line, which rotated through Jake DeBrusk and Joakim Nordstrom as well.
Former Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton put the Hurricanes ahead 2-1 with 1:27 left in the second on a blast from on top of the slot, but the Bruins weren’t done yet, either.
Bergeron backchecked the puck away from Warren Foegele on a breakaway while the Hurricanes were shorthanded. He spun the puck down ice to Marchand, who took the feed and sniped it from the left circle to tie it at 2 with 18 seconds left in the middle frame. It was Marchand’s first goal since Oct. 17.
The Hurricanes, who lead the NHL in shots by nearly 40, shot a season-high 24 times in the second frame, forcing Halak to make 23 saves.
Marchand took another Bergeron pass with 14:37 left in the third period and deked Darling on the right side of the net. He wrapped all the way around to find an open cage and give the Bruins their first lead of the game, 3-2.
“It starts with Bergy on the wall winning the battle,” Marchand said. “I knew I had a forward behind me and figured if I could get by him that I had a good opportunity. He was all over me so I didn’t get a shot off. It happened the way it happened.”
Halak withstood another flurry and the Bruins held on.
“I knew coming into the game that these guys shoot a lot,” Halak said. “They shoot 41 times per game or maybe more.”
The Bruins will head to Nashville on Saturday looking to keep momentum. One way or another last night’s effort, especially late from their best players, was a good response from Saturday’s home loss to Montreal.
With lines shuffled throughout the night, they’re hoping to up their compete level from here.
“It was more about the other guys in the lineup, it wasn’t Bergy, Marchy, or Pasta,” Cassidy said. “They bring it every night. They might have an off night, but it was more about the other guys . ... Bring it down to nine forwards, let them watch a little and get them excited to play again. I don’t know if it worked or not … It’s a good learning curve for them.”