For a while there, it was looking like “déja vu all over again” for the Bruins.
Less than 24 hours after giving up a late tying goal to end up in overtime against the New York Rangers, the Bruins allowed a late tying goal to end up in overtime against the Nashville Predators.
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This time, however, things had a happier ending, with David Pastrnak scoring just 15 seconds into overtime to give the Bruins a 3-2 win.
The win gives the B’s three points out of a possible four in their Monday/Tuesday back-to-back.
Hampus Lindholm and Morgan Geekie scored the other goals for the Bruins, while Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves in the win.
Lindholm started the scoring midway through the first period, beating Juuse Saros with a wrist shot from the point to make it 1-0 Bruins.
Geekie would net his 30th of the season three minutes into the second period, making it 2-0 Bruins.
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Roman Josi got the Predators within one with a power play goal with 30 seconds left in the second period, making it 2-1 Bruins.
Nick Blankenburg tied the game with a shot through traffic with seven minutes left in the third to make it a 2-2 game.
Pastrnak sent the fans home happy with a net-front tip-in just 15 seconds into overtime.
Bruins win, 3-2!
Game notes
You could be forgiven for getting cynical when the Predators tied the game late in the third, as the Bruins were unable to close out a game for the second consecutive night. However, when you consider the travel complications (more on that below) and the positive end result, this was a good character win for the Bruins.
In the NESN postgame show, Geekie noted that the B’s got home from New York City at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon after their Monday night flight got canceled. He said that the team’s skills coach had cleaned off everyone’s cars so the players were able to go home for a bit (a very brief bit, probably) prior to heading to the Garden. Winter weather, man.
Geekie’s goal gave him 30+ for the second season in a row. He had 33 in 77 games last season, so he should be a pretty safe bet to eclipse that total this season.
After missing Monday night’s game in New York, Nikita Zadorov returned to action tonight and looked no worse for the wear, skating a shade under 22 minutes.
Speaking of minutes, Charlie McAvoy skated an impressive 27:14 tonight, but he didn’t have the highest total in the game: Josi was on the ice for nearly half the game, skating 29:59. I feel like they should have just credited him with an extra second to make it a nice, round 30. Per the NESN broadcast, this was the 6th time this season McAvoy has skated 27+ minutes.
While his goal will get the headlines, Pastrnak’s assist on Geekie’s goal was a thing of beauty. He managed to keep the puck in the zone with a checker on him, then drew three Nashville skaters to the puck before slipping a pass through traffic. Give him two points for the style of assist.
In case you missed it, Hampus Lindholm was named to Team Sweden for the upcoming Olympics this morning. Olympic nod in the AM, goal in the PM. Not a bad day.
However, it wasn’t the best of days for fellow Lindholm Elias, who left the game in the second period and didn’t return. He was said to have an upper-body injury, and looked to tweak something when locking up with a Nashville player on a faceoff.
The B’s are now 8-1-1 in their last ten games. Tonight’s win was their 31st of the season, and they’re one of just five NHL teams to have more than 30 wins (Buffalo has exactly 30).
Again, per the NESN broadcast, the B’s have won eight home games in a row and have the best home record in the Eastern Conference at 20-8-1. The only other team with 20 home wins is the Colorado Avalanche.
The B’s will be back at it on Thursday night, as they host the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden.
After that, it’s the Stadium Series game against the Lightning at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.