After going down 3-0 early in the second period, the Bruins battled back to tie up the game at 3-3 and force overtime and ultimately a shootout. However, the Los Angeles Kings walked out of the TD Garden with 2 points after Michal Handzus netted the only goal in the shootout to give the Kings the win on Saturday night in Boston.
Brad Richardson's 4th goal of the season spotted the LA Kings a 1-0 lead just 57 seconds into the game. Richardson ripped a wrister from the left circle that whistled past the glove hand of Tim Thomas.
The Kings extended their lead to 2-0 at 11:17 of the first period on a goal from Michal Handzus. Handzus picked a rebound at the left circle and sent a shot towards the net that found it way through traffic in front to ripple the twine.
Jarret Stoll made it a 3-0 game 2:50 into the second period. The Kings took advantage of a turnover and a Bruins' line change to create a 3-on-2 odd man rush. Stoll worked a textbook give and go play with with Justin Williams. Stoll got the puck down low to Williams at the right post and Stoll found open space in the slot for the return pass before getting off a quick wrist shot that found it's way to the back of the net.
Blaker Wheeler got the Bruins on the board 4:30 into the second period when he put home a rebound from a Tyler Seguin shot from the slot.
The B's pulled to within one goal with 8:02 left in the middle period. The Bruis took advantage of a delayed penalty to get an extra skater on the ice. Shawn Thornton put a hard slap shot on net from the top of the left circle and Campbell gathered the rebound and put a wrister past a scrambling Jonathan Quick.
Patrice Bergeron knotted the score up at 3-3 with a power play goal with 6:14 left in regulation. Blake Wheeler had the puck in the left wing corner and slid it to Bergeron at the left circle. Bergeron's one-timer made it's way past Quick for the equalizer.
After 65 minutes of hockey and a goaltending clinic by Tim Thomas and Jonathan Quick in the shootout, Michal Handzus skated to center ice to attempt something that 11 other players failed to do before him: score in the shootout. Handzus was able to put the puck past Tim Thomas and give the Kings the extra point.
Notes:
- David Krejci made his return to the lineup tonight. Krejci logged 22:21 of ice time, put 4 shots on goal, won 71% of his face-offs (15 of 21), and finished with a +/- of -1.
- Their was a moment of silence to honor Pat Burns before the game.
- The Bruins dominated at the dot tonight. The B's out-drew the Kings 43-25.
- The B's out-shot the Kings 41-26.
- Tim Thomas had a possible save of the year candidate stop when he robbed Jarret Stoll with a glove save while sitting on the ice.
- Theire was a scary moment in this game. In overtime, a puck struck linesman Steve Miller in the head. The official stayed down on the ice for several minutes before skate off the ice with the help of his officiating crew.
- With Krejci back in the lineup, Claude Julien shifted Tyler Seguin to the wing.
- The Bruins are back in action on Monday night when they travel to Tampa Bay to take on Steven Stamkos and the Lightning.
- For more on tonight's game, check out Jewels From The Crown