The Bruins were able to hang on for a 6-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at TD Garden after jumping out to a 4-0 first period lead in an action-packed opening period that featured four goals and four fights (including three separate fights in the game's first four seconds).
Gregory Campbell was looking to make a statement early in this hockey game. Off the opening face-off, Campbell lined up away from his usual spot at center and instead started the game at left wing opposite Dallas pest Steve Ott. Immediately off the draw, Campbell and Ott dropped the gloves and swapped punches in a bloody bout that likely stemmed from a run that Ott took at Campbell back in 2009 while Campbell was playing for Florida.
Once the blood from Campbell and Ott's scrap was cleaned off the ice, the stage was set for another bout. This time it was Shawn Thornton dropping 'em with Stars tough guy Krys Barch right after the puck dropped on the next face-off. For those of you scoring at home, that is two fights and two seconds elapsed on the game clock.
Two fights in two seconds was not enough for the bloody thirsty Garden crowd, who was treated to a third donnybrook 4 seconds into the game as Adam McQuiad and Brian Sutherby shed their mittens and traded haymakers. McQuiad unloaded on Sutherby and won a decisive bout.
The early fights seemed to have lit a fire under the B's and it didn't take long for it to pay off as Milan Lucic's 21st goal of the season on a 2-on-1 with David Krejci spotted the hometown team a 1-0 lead just 35 seconds into the game.
Patrice Bergeron extended the Bruins lead to 2-0 just 45 seconds later. Brad Marchand's shot/pass from the left circle deflected off Bergy's right skate and in for #37's 18th goal of the season. Mark Recchi also picked a helper on the goal.
The Bruins' second goal on two shots drove starter Andrew Raycroft from the game. The former Bruins netminder was pulled by Stars head coach Marc Crawford in favor of Kari Lehtonen.
Just when you thought that the rough stuff was over and the teams were going to focus on playing hockey, Adam Burish ripped a shot at Tuukka Rask seconds after a whistle stopped play, which drew the attention of a rabid Andrew Ference. Ference quickly dropped his gloves to defend his goalie and hammered away at Burish's face with a barrage of punches.
Patrice Bergeron's second goal of the night (again from Marchand and Recchi) made it a 3-0 game 9:35 into the game.
Shawn Thornton made it 4-0 with a cannon of a slap shot from the top of the right circle with 3:59 left in the first period. Thornton's 8th goal of the season put him one assist shy of a Gordie Howe hat trick.
The Bruins appeared to have extended the lead to 5-0 just over 4 minutes into the second period on a goal from Adam McQuaid, but the goal was disallowed due to a goaltender interference call on Blake Wheeler. The questionable call drew a loud "bullshit!" chant from the Causeway Crowd.
The Stars finally got on the scoreboard just over midway through the second period on a goal from Karlis Skrastins. Adam Burish carried the puck in the offensive zone along the left wing wall and found Skrastins trailing the play in the slot. Skrastin's quick snap shot beat Rask up high to make it 4-1.
If if this game needed anymore controversy and bad blood, Daniel Paille hit Raymond Sawada with a blinside head shot that earned the Bruins winger a 5-minute major (illegal check to head) and a match penalty at 11:21. After the game, Paille's match penalty was down-graded to a game misconduct.
Brenden Morrow's shorthanded goal 45 seconds in the third period after Morrow's wrister from the high slot beat Rask over the blocker.
Dallas struck again at 3:33 of the third period on a goal from Brad Richards. Richards fired a one-timer past Rask from the right circle on a set-up from Loui Eriksson.
Tyler Seguin gave the bruins some breathing room with a turn-around half slapper from the right circle to make it 5-3 with 14:29 left to play in the third.
Patrice Bergeron had a golden opportunity to record his second hat trick of the season with an empty net with just over 2 minutes left in the game but put his shot wide right off the apron. Bergeron was able to collect his own rebound and get the puck out front to Brad Marchand to cement a 6-3 win for the Bruins.
Notes:
- Daniel Paille could be facing a suspension for this high hit on Raymond Sawada:
- The Bruins have called up Zach Hamill from Providence following tonight's game. With the naked eye, this would appear to be a move made in anticipation of a suspension for Paille, but according to Claude Julien, this move was made this afternoon.
- The Bruins out-shot Dallas 35-33.
- Dallas dominated at the dot tonight, winning 42 of 64 draws (66%).
- Mark Recchi (3 assists), Patrice Bergeron (2 goals, assist), and Brad Marchand (goal, 2 assists) all finished with 3 points and +3 on the night.
- Marc Savard is scheduled to be re-evaluated by doctors in Boston on Friday. Bob McKenzie of TSN is reporting that Savard's agent Larry Kelly will be in town to meet with his client and GM Peter Chiarelli.
- The Bruins will host Joe Thornton and the San Jose Sharks on Saturday afternoon (1:00 PM ET).
- For more on tonight's game, check out Defending Big D
Quotes from the Dressing Rooms
"That’s what happens in hockey. I mean, you just, there’s a few words exchanged and things happen so there was really no forewarning or anything like that, it just happened."
Gregory Campbell on his fight with Steve Ott off the opening face-off
"No, not really. I mean it was two years ago. I mean, a lot of things happen in hockey and if you hold on to something that happens two years ago, I don’t think it does you much good. So, unfortunately as much as you love to hate Steve Ott, he’s a pretty valuable player for them and he plays hard but it wasn’t something that I held a grudge over though."
Gregory Campbell when asked if his history with Ott played a role in the fight
....Umm I'm not buying what you are selling Mr. Campbell
"Well I know the first one, those guys, I think, have played each other since they were fifteen, fourteen years old so, that one may go back a long time, the [Steve] Ott- [Gregory] Campbell one, I think they know each other from juniors. And then from then on I think it was just defending your team and a little bit of chest thumping. But yeah, I can recall the game last year too, or I guess two previous [years ago]. It was just a rough and tumble game."
Stars forward Brenden Morrow on "bad blood" between the two teams
"Me and Timmy were talking about it and not really. I mean, it’s kind of almost frustrating because it’s two seconds in and 15 minutes of penalties both teams. You’re getting no shots and you’re almost getting cold. It didn’t give me anything extra. I usually just always try to focus on that next puck and try to make that save no matter what."
Tuukka Rask on if the fights helped him get pumped up for the game
"Yeah we’re starting to click and we have pretty good chemistry. Those guys are great to play with. Bergy, he’s going to be a future hall-of-famer, and Rex same thing. They’re both unbelievable players, and it’s easy to play with them."
Brad Marchand on being comfortable playing with Patrice Bergeron and Mark Recchi
"The guys got really excited. It’s a lot of fun to see that, especially when the fights kind of go in your favor. You get really excited. A lot of adrenaline on the bench and it really carries over onto the ice."
Brad Marchand on the early fights
"Well the refs came in and were like, ‘Are you guys gonna fight?’ and I said ‘I will.’ I don’t think [Langenbrunner] really wanted to."
Johnny Boychuk on what the refs said to him during the scrum that followed Paille's hit
"He didn’t have a very good outing the last game so we had a short leash on him and the first two shots go in. We just felt that it was time to make a change. He’s battled real well this year and it’s unfortunate. You wish you didn’t have to do tough things for people but I’m charged with those decisions and I thought it was the right decision."
Stars Head Coach Marc Crawford on pulling Andrew Raycroft
"Yeah I think so. We’re a tight group. We’ve always said that and we all know that. We’re…we get along real well off the ice and we try to bring that on the ice. I think that [Andrew] Ference fight is the best example just by showing that he took a shot after the whistle on Tuukka [Rask] and Andy [Ference] responded right away. So I think it’s…it showed our unity, and we got to keep going."
Patrice Bergeron on what tonight's game says about their team unity
"I mean it’s a bad hit, right? That’s what they’re trying to get rid of and you can’t be hypocritical about it when it happens to you, and say it’s fine when your teammate does it. It’s a hit they’re trying to get rid of. I mean you hear it from every player after they do it, they feel bad, and same thing, I talked to Danny [Paille] and he feels bad. It’s tough, that backchecking forward, to make those kind of hits, it’s so hard to do it in a clean fashion, with the new rules. It is what it is. He hurt the guy, and I’m sure he’ll have a conversation."
Andrew Ference on Paille's hit
"Well I found out this afternoon. Peter [Chiarelli] informed me that they were going to call him up. I think the one thing is that he’s been playing really well. In the last month he’s been outstanding and you certainly want to give him a shot and I think coming in is going to give him that opportunity. He played that one game for us in Washington at the end of last year and I liked his game. I thought he had played well in that game. I’m looking forward to seeing him play with us and hopefully he plays as well as he has been in Providence."
Claude Julien on Zach Hamill's call-up from Providence