Bergeron ends OT blues
Puts finishing touch on up-and-down day
The Bruins entered Saturday’s contest having one won game all season when trailing after two. The Kings had lost just once in regulation when leading after two.
One of those changed, at least.
The Bruins were guilty of blowing another lead after going out front with a threegoal spurt over 3:22 in the third period only to let the Kings back in the game. But this time they recovered in overtime to win 5-4 in the first game of three in four days. The win extended the Bruins’ point streak to six games.
Patrice Bergeron was open in the slot on an overtime power play with a tick under two and a half minutes to go, and moments after he was stopped on a similar shot, he found the back of the net to conclude a three-point night.
The Bruins blew a two goal lead against the Rangers on Wednesday night, and led by two once again with 13:11 left in the contest on Saturday. The Kings scored twice, setting up Bergeron’s extra-period heroics.
Bergeron, who was honored before the opening faceoff for playing in his 1,000th career game on Tuesday night, fed a no-look pass to Charlie McAvoy, who snuck down below the slot. The defenseman netted his first goal since October 13 to make it 1-0 with 15:22 left in the middle frame.
The Bruins committed back-to-back penalties and the Kings took advantage of their second look. Alex Iafallo’s shot beat Tuukka Rask to knot the game with 11:47 in the second.
Anze Kopitar found room underneath the left circle and took a pass from Dustin Brown across the crease to put the Kings ahead 2-1 with 5:58 to go.
The Bruins third period was a lot better, at least to start.
Danton Heinen netted his second goal in as many games on a rebound from a McAvoy shot to tie the game 2-2 just 3:27 into the period.
It appeared to unravel for the Kings from there.
David Krejci had a wide open look on a half-covered net after Torey Krug rang the left post and he fired it in to put the Bruins ahead just a minute and a half later.
Not even a Chris Wagner tripping call just 18 seconds after that could stall the Bruins new-found momentum. Bergeron and Brad Marchand broke free for a shorthanded 2-on-1 and Marchand buried his 20th goal of the season for a 4-2 advantage.
The Kings, however, weren’t dead yet. With 10:41 to go in the third, Nate Thompson deflected an elevated pass from Brendan Leipsic to bring them back within one.
Then Oscar Fantenberg scored his first of the year with 4:47 left in the third on a shot from just below the blue line to force overtime.
Just about 90 seconds into the extra period, David Pastrnak was tripped up, giving the Bruins a power play. Bergeron scored the game winner with 2:26 left in the overtime.
Rask finished with 25 saves.
The Bruins had blown a lead in each of their past six losses, including Wednesday night in New York, where they held a two-goal advantage into the third period.
The past three Bruins losses coming into Saturday came in overtime or the shootout, but they avoided that fate Saturday.
The Bruins are back in action Sunday afternoon against the Avalanche before hosting the Blackhawks on Tuesday ahead of their fivegame West Coast swing.