Facing one of the best offenses in the NHL Monday night, the Bruins were frequently too careless with both the puck and their sticks. They handed the Avalanche six power plays in the game, and two of Colorado’s goals came off Boston turnovers.
And yet, the Bruins still managed to get a point. They came back twice to force overtime, led by a pair of goals from Brad Marchand, before ultimately falling 4-3 in the shootout.
Trent Frederic is playing the best hockey of his career
The Bruins actually had a great chance to win the game in overtime when Pavel Zacha drew a power play with 1:58 to go, but they couldn’t capitalize.
“Pretty good,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery told NESN when asked how he felt about getting a point. “That’s an excellent team. They lead their division. To be able to be down 2-1 and then 3-2 and come back and get a point, it’s huge. I’d just like our power play to seal that win in the overtime.”
Here are three takeaways from the game:
Brandon Carlo injured
Carlo left the game midway through the second period with an upper-body injury and did not return. He got knocked to the ice a couple times on his final shift, but it wasn’t clear exactly what the injury might be.
The first thing you think when you see “Carlo” and “upper body” is concussion, given his extensive history. Right now we simply don’t know enough about the injury, but obviously you hope it’s not that again.
Carlo missing any amount of time would be a major blow for the Bruins defense. He has been playing some of the best hockey of his career this season, is averaging over 20 minutes per game, and has arguably been Boston’s most consistent defenseman. He had also been healthy prior to Monday night, playing in all 39 games thus far.
Rookie Mason Lohrei was the Bruins’ extra defenseman Monday night. He had been dealing with an injury of his own after taking a puck to the mouth last week that required multiple visits to the dentist. Presumably, he would be good to go for Tuesday’s game in Arizona if needed given that the Bruins didn’t call up anyone else before traveling west.
The Bruins’ penalty kill deserves special mention for still going 5-for-6 without Carlo for half the game. The biggest kill came in the final few minutes of regulation. With Carlo out of the game and Hampus Lindholm in the box, Parker Wotherspoon stepped up and stayed on the ice for all but six seconds of the critical kill.
Brad Marchand climbs franchise leaderboard
Ray Bourque. Johnny Bucyk. Patrice Bergeron. Phil Esposito.
Those are now the only four players who have scored more points in a Bruins uniform than Brad Marchand.
The Bruins captain tied Rick Middleton for fifth on the franchise’s all-time scoring list with his first goal Monday night, which came on the power play. Then he moved ahead of “Nifty” with his 899th career point and his second goal of the game, which came 5:46 into the third and tied the game at 3-3.
With all the historic reflection going on this season as the Bruins celebrate their 100th year, and with Marchand in his first season as team captain, Monday offered a good reminder of the remarkable career he has had and the special place he holds in team history.
Marchand could still have more climbing to do, too. He’s now 113 points behind Esposito for fourth and 141 behind Bergeron, his longtime linemate, for third. He won’t catch either this season, but both could be in his sights if he plays another year or two.
In the present, Marchand has picked up his scoring pace recently, as he now has 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in his last eight games. He’s up to 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) in 39 games for the season.
Johnny Beecher bounces back after scratch
The rookie Beecher wasn’t having the best go of it recently. He had been a healthy scratch in two of the last three games before Monday, and had averaged just 5:30 time on ice in the last two games he did play.
Beecher got back in the lineup Monday, with Montgomery citing his faceoff ability as a key reason, and he certainly made the most of the opportunity.
He threw an early tone-setting hit, hammering Devon Toews on the forecheck. In the second period, with the Bruins trailing 2-1, he scored his first goal since Nov. 27, driving to the net and banging in a rebound off a Danton Heinen shot. He played 2:30 on the penalty kill. He blocked two shots. Oh, and he won seven of his nine faceoffs.
Basically, Beecher did all the things he needs to do consistently to stay in the lineup going forward – not that anyone is expecting him to score every game, but he has to be going to the net to get to scoring areas when opportunities are there.