In an entertaining, back-and-forth game at TD Garden, one that featured a Montreal hat trick and about 493 power play goals, the game-winning goal almost didn’t happen at all.
Morgan Geekie’s second goal of the game with just under six minutes to go in the third period gave the Bruins lead they wouldn’t relinquish, with the B’s skating off TD Garden ice with a 4-3 win.
Geekie’s mystery goal was originally thought to be a puck out of play, with the officials unsure of where the puck went.
It wasn’t until David Pastrnak started hopping up and down, pointing at the net, that everyone realized Geekie’s shot had beaten Samuel Montembeault and gotten lodged in the sash at the back of the net.
Geekie’s goal gave the Bruins their first lead of the night, as they had to overcome deficits of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 to earn the win.
Cole Caufield carried the Canadiens on the evening, with the American forward recording the second hat trick of his NHL career, but it wasn’t enough for Montreal.
Along with Geekie, the B’s got multi-point nights from Fraser Minten (an assist and the game-tying goal in the third) and Charlie McAvoy (three assists).
Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves.
The Bruins will face those same Rangers in Manhattan on Monday night.
I believe they actually traveled to New York either late Saturday night or early this morning to avoid the coming snowfall, with the team scheduled to practice at Madison Square Garden at 2 PM.
That practice time is likely not a coincidence, with the B’s getting a skate in just in time to watch the AFC Championship.