The Bruins played a spirited, competitive game and collected their first point in their last 6 games, but they also dropped their 7th straight game as they lost 3-2 in a shootout against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night at TD Garden. The 7-game skid is the Bruins longest losing streak since 1997 and Bruins' current 6-game home losing streak is the longest since the the 1924-25 season.
Dustin Brown tipped home Anze Kopitar's shot to stake the Kings to a 1-0 lead 12:06 into the game. The power play goal was Brown's 13th marker of the season.
The Kings put the puck into the back of the net after Wayne Simmonds deflected the puck out of mid-air, but the goal was quickly waved off by the referees and ruled that the puck was played with a high-stick.
The Bruins took advantage of a bad bounce for the Kings to tie up the game at 1-1 at 15:16 of the second period. With the Bruins on the power play, the Kings' Drew Doughty tried to clear the zone, but the puck caromed off of linesman Johnny Murray and stayed in the zone. Marc Savard picked up the puck and found Marco Sturm in the slot. Sturm held the puck, created some room for himself, and fired a wrister past former UMass netminder Jonathan Quick.
Mark Recchi put the Bruins up 2-1 with a power play goal 1:20 into the third period. Recchi skated with the puck from his own zone through the neutral zone and into the attacking zone, dished the puck to David Krejci on the right wing half wall and continued to the net. Krejci's feed found Recchi on the door step and Recchi buried the point blank deflection to give the Bruins their first lead in 233 minutes of play.
The Bruins lead didn't last long, though. Anze Kopitar's snap shot from the top of the right circle beat Tim Thomas up high on the stick side with traffic in front. The power play goal was Kopitar's 23rd of the season.
The Bruins controlled the play in overtime and had several scoring opportunities in the extra frame, but they just couldn't find the back of the net.
Shootout
Bruins 1st Shooter: Zdeno Chara fanned on a slapper.
Kings 1st Shooter: Anze Kopitar beat Thomas by faking the forehand shot and tucked the puck past Thomas with one hand. 1-0 Kings
Bruins 2nd Shooter: Wheeler's snap shot was handled by Quick.
Kings 2nd Shooter: Dustin Brown was shut down by Tim Thomas
Bruins 3rd Shooter: Michael Ryder snap shot beat Quick in the upper 90 on the glove side. 1-1
Kings 3rd Shooter: Thomas stopped Michael Handzus.
Bruins 4th Shooter: Savard got Quick to bite on a deke and beat him on the forehand. 2-1 Bruins
Kings 4th Shooter: Thomas made an initial save on Ryan Smyth but the puck tickled in. 2-2
Bruins 5th Shooter: Quick stopped Bergeron's attempt from in tight.
Kings 5th Shooter: Thomas made a big stop on a nifty stop and pop move by Oscar Moller.
Bruins 6th Shooter: Recchi missed high over the crossbar. Quick might have gotten a piece of it.
Kings 6th Shooter: Jarret Stoll's snap shot beat Thomas up high. 3-2 Kings Win
Notes:
- Marco Sturm and Steve Begin returned to the lineup for the Bruins.
- Shawn Thornton, Vladimir Sobotka, and Adam McQuaid were the healthy scratches for the Bruins.
- Tim Thomas needs to learn how to keep his emotions in check. With the Bruins on a 4 minute power play after an altercation between Mark Stuart and Wayne Simmonds, Tim Thomas hit Brad Richardson with a high stick after Richardson tried to poke at a rebound that Thomas was covering up. That was a flat-out dumb penalty to take in that situation. How many times have we seen Thomas taking stupid penalties while trying to fight his own fight? I like that he shows some emotion and you can tell that he cares, but relax Timmy. You have to be smarter. You have 5 guys in front you that are out there to protect you. Let them do their job. If a skater comes in and gives Richardson a shove or a facewash, he probably isn't getting a penalty. A goalie taking a swipe at a guy with his blocker and stick will get called 90% of the time.
- How come anyone who throws a clean open ice hit is expected to fight to defend his actions? Don't blame Mark Stuart for laying out Anze Kopitar. Blame Peter Harold for that suicide pass to put his teammate in a bad position.
- It was not a good night to be an on-ice official. If you were wearing stripes, it was best to stay away from Drew Doughty. Linesman Johnny Murray was hit in the back by Drew Doughty's clearing attempt and referee Eric Furlatt wrenched his knee after getting tangled up with Drew Doughty along the boards.
- Apparently, the ice was in rough shape after the Boston Blazers played a lacrosse game at the TD Garden this afternoon. Drew Doughty mentioned to NESN's Naoko Funayama that the puck was jumping around on the ice surface. The Kings also requested the Zamboni take a second pass before the shootout started.
- Jonathan Quick was tested by the Bruins all night, the Team USA goalie looked solid, turning aside 31 shots.
- The Bruins will take on the always dangerous and entertaining Washington Capitals at TD Garden on Tuesday night.