The Boston Bruins (22-18-2) made it two straight on Saturday night by taking down the Canucks (16-20-4) at Rogers Arena in downtown Vancouver. Lifted by their special teams, goaltending, and a 21-year-old from Vancouver, the Bruins picked up a 3-2 victory in overtime.
For Fraser Minten, the night fulfilled a childhood dream; he scored two goals that bookended the scoring.
“It’s really special,” Minten said before puckdrop. “It’s a moment I would’ve taken any day when I was a young kid, so I’m super excited to be here tonight.”
Minten grew up in Vancouver, BC, and was raised five minutes away from Rogers Arena. He mentioned that he was expecting somewhere between 50 and 100 people in the crowd tonight. They were treated to a Fraser Minten power play goal in the first period; he beat Kevin Lankinen low on the blocker side and gave Boston a 1-0 lead.
“We were holding him for a long time [from being] on the power play,” Sturm said about Minten. “He’s still young. He’s still learning. But, halfway through, we thought ‘this is the right thing to do,’ and he’s been excellent on the power play.”
The Bruins took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission; they led shots 6-5 but were outhit 10-1.
Vancouver answered early in the second period, scoring 48 seconds in and again later in the period. Filip Hronek played a role in both goals, with each finding its way past Swayman by way of a deflection. The first went in off Elias Pettersson’s skate, and the second one went off Charlie McAvoy’s skate.
Elias Lindholm scored another power play goal for the Bruins, which gave Boston a 2-1 lead before Hronek’s goal. Lindholm is up to 14 points on the power play this season; he has 26 in total.
After taking five penalties Wednesday night in Edmonton, the Bruins committed four more in the second period against the Canucks on Saturday, finishing with six on the night. Filip Hronek’s goal would come on the power play for Vancouver, and they would have 12 power play shots on the night.
“I don’t mind taking those penalties in front of our net, where we really have to battle hard,” Sturm said postgame. “But we take some away from the play, away from the puck. That just can’t happen. We have to control our sticks better.”
Boston’s penalty kill went four-for-five through the first two periods of the game. The teams went into the second intermission tied 2-2. Vancouver piled 15 shots onto Swayman in the middle 20 minutes.
Jeremy Swayman would make 31 saves on the night, marking his second straight 30-save performance. His biggest stop would come against former-Bruin Jake DeBrusk in the second period.
“He’s finding his game right now,” Sturm said about Swayman. “We all feel it, that’s why I want to get him back. He just gives us the feeling and the big saves. Even against the Oilers the other night, there were a couple times they could have tied it up, but he was the guy.”
Swayman has seen action in nine of the last ten games.
“It’s good to get games, but it’s also one of those seasons where we don’t get a lot of practice,” Swayman said. “You got to make sure that you’re dialed in, no matter how much rest you get or not. It’s why we’re pros, we have to put our bodies in good situations and perform every night.”
In the first nine minutes of the third period, the Canucks steered nine shots on Swayman, only adding to his workload. That, coupled with an early penalty kill, helped the Bruins keep this game tied at two.
The Bruins and Canucks needed overtime again. Unlike last time, this one went in favor of the black and gold.
Vancouver’s own, Fraser Minten, still had more to show in his homecoming performance. With less than a minute to go in overtime, Minten buried a loose puck in the net front that clinched the win for Boston.
“It’s excellent. He deserves every bit of it,” Swayman said about Minten. “One of the hardest workers on the team. Plays the right way, carries himself the right way, like a pro. It’s just awesome to see him get results like that, and it’s expected now.”
For the Bruins, it was another night of strong special teams play and steady goaltending. For Fraser Minten, it was a night that he will never forget, living out a childhood dream in the arena he frequented as a child.
Boston will travel to Seattle, the team will have Sunday off before practicing Monday, and playing the Kraken (18-14-7) on Tuesday night.