Bruins win Game 1 vs. Hurricanes
After being told to come back the next morning because another game lasted five overtimes, the Bruins didn’t want to repeat history so quickly.
“We talked about trying to end this before the fifth overtime,” Patrice Bergeron said.
Bergeron accomplished that by scoring early in double overtime, and the Bruins beat the Hurricanes 4-3 on Wednesday in Game 1 of their first-round series that was postponed 15 hours to a rare late-morning start.
The game scheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesday night began the next morning at 11 after the Blue Jackets-Lightning series opener became the fourth-longest playoff game in NHL history. Playing all Eastern Conference games at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena had this potential for games going long messing with the schedule.
“We knew it was a possibility,” said Bergeron, whose four playoff OT goals are the second-most behind the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane among active players. “You didn’t expect five overtimes, but that being said, we knew it’s part of having a tournament like this in one rink and be ready for the unexpected.”
Hurricanes-Bruins Game 1 wasn’t quite the same marathon with Bergeron scoring 1:13 into the second extra period. But it had plenty of theater from the Hurricanes’ surprise scratches to a controversial goal and video review.
Much has changed since these teams met in the 2019 Eastern Conference final, but the Bruins continued their dominance more than a year after sweeping the Hurricanes. The Bruins showed quick recovery from losing all three of their round-robin seeding games and handed the Hurricanes their first loss since hockey returned.
“As a group, we didn’t love our effort. And we didn’t do some of the things we’re known for and what makes us a great team,” Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said.
Joel Edmundson, who wasn’t with the Hurricanes last year and joined them in a trade from the Blues after winning the Stanley Cup, scored the first goal of the game, and fellow defenseman Haydn Fleury tied it at 3 in the third after David Krejci put the Bruins ahead.
Fleury would’ve been out of the lineup if not for the surprise scratch of Sami Vatanen, who along with winger Justin Williams was a game-time decision according to coach Rod Brind’Amour.
“We adjusted,” Brind’Amour said. “Hopefully they’ll be able to go (in Game 2 on Thursday).
Baily helps Isles rally: Josh Bailey scored a shorthanded goal 6:52 into the third period and the Islanders overcame a two-goal deficit to beat the Capitals 4-2 day in a hard-hitting opener to the first-round series.
Semyon Varlamov stopped 24 shots and Anthony Beauvillier sealed it by scoring with 8:05 remaining in a game the Isles overcame seven Caps power-play opportunities.