Game Recap: Bruins Down Wings, Win at Home 3-1

The Bruins got their 2^nd home win of the season last night, taking two points from the Detroit Red Wings in the second game of their five-game homestand. After finding out early in the day that Colin Miller would be missing time due to a lower body injury, Zach Trotman was confirmed to get the nod as his replacement.

Needless to say, Trotman didn’t shy away from the moment. "Today was good," Trotman said after the game. "Our guys were focused, you know there’s a little bit of edge in the room, I felt everyone wanted to prove to ourselves and to everyone else that we can shut a game down."

The game started out a little slow on both sides. For two teams that hadn’t seen each other since March, there was a feeling out period, with no shots for either team in the first five minutes of the game. Soon, however, the Bruins began to find their legs, while Detroit was showing their jetlag. The Bruins took a 12-5 shot advantage into the locker room after 20 minutes, and continued to drive the play into the 2^nd.

Nearly halfway through the game, Patrice Bergeron put away the game’s first goal. Off the rush, a high shot on Petr Mrazek arched over the Red Wings goaltender, landing in the crease where Bergeron followed up and put it away.

A few minutes later, a patient breakout by both Zach Trotman and Loui Eriksson led to a rush with David Krejci and Frank Vatrano. Krejci carried the puck wide into the zone, before cutting into the slot across Detroit defenseman Jakub Kindl. The Boston points-leader wristed one short-side by Mrazek, giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead for the 2^nd straight game. It was Zach Trotman’s first point of the season, and David Krejci’s 8^th goal, after netting just seven in an injury-laden season last year.

So did Krejci plan on shooting? Or was it a reaction? "A little bit of both honestly," said Krejci.  When you go one-on-one you try to make something happen.  Skill players, they like to do something so I tried some move, it worked and I was happy that it went in the net."

After a Seidenberg tripping call, the Red Wings took to the powerplay. The Bruins penalty kill looked like old times for a change, smothering the Red Wings with the puck, and closing off passing lanes. McQuaid had a couple blocked shots, Rask saved the rest, and after Krug nearly put it in his own net, Miller cleared the puck around the boards. Brad Marchand checked the stick of Hank Zetterberg before taking a puck down the wing. Instead of throwing a puck on net from the backhand, Brad Marchand drove wide against defenseman Mike Green, and left a drop pass for Torey Krug, who was all alone in the slot to bury his first goal of the season.

The Bruins would take a 3-0 lead into the third, and held it for the majority of the final period. Rask had some help from the post on a few shots, but also made some unreal saves. After a bad pinch by Dennis Seidenberg, the Red Wings rushed down for a 2-on-1 scoring chance. Rask extended through the crease stopping a bid from Justin Abdelkader to keep the lead at three.

It was one of many great stops by Tuukka, who has struggled at home this year. Coach Claude Julien took notice. "Tuukka was really good tonight… He’s had some good games," said Claude. "We’ve shown trust in him because we know he’s going to help us win games like he did tonight."

Unfortunately he couldn’t stop them all during the game.

A dump-and-chase by Zac Rinaldo resulted in a tripping penalty when Mike Green lost his footing. It seemed like more of a reputation call, since the stick contact was incredibly light. But in any case, it got Rinaldo two minutes in the box, and put the Bruins PK on the ice. The penalty kill had been solid earlier in the night, but a terrible forecheck by Kevan Miller left the Bruins backend completely vulnerable. Detroit drove quickly down ice, and this time Justin Abdelkader cashed in on another odd-man rush with a backhand goal.

Fortunately it would be Detroit’s last goal of the game. With a late boarding call on Adam McQuaid, the Bruins returned to the kill within the final four minutes. Detroit even pulled Mrazek towards the end of the man-advantage for a 6-on-4 chance. But despite good passing and pucks on sticks in dangerous areas of the ice, the Red Wings couldn’t seem to get the puck toward the net.

Boston held on for the 3-1 win, giving them and Tuukka Rask their second win at TD Garden this year. The Bruins look forward to the next game in their homestand when they host the Sharks on Tuesday night.

Game notes:

• Patrice Bergeron held his points streak intact, extending it to four games.
• Torey Krug’s goal ended a 27-game goal drought extending to last season.
• Zach Trotman not only nabbed his first point on the year, but finished 3^rd on the team in TOI at 20:53.
• Nine different Bruins recorded a point tonight.