PREGAME
Because it was so loud and epic, and because the Pats are World Champs once again, they visited TD Garden to have Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman spike the puck drop.
We’re lucky there wasn’t a crazy bounce - Patrice Bergeron took the ceremonial faceoff and taking that puck to the face would have put a damper on his 1000th game.
First Period
David Backes took a penalty in the first two minutes by flipping the puck over the glass.
GOOD. GREAT. GRAND. WONDERFUL.
Boston was gifted three power play opportunities of their own, but could not capitalize. Despite closing the shot gap that the Islanders had built, nothing yielded results. Their even-strength play resembled a power play, too, and yet... nothing.
Yep, that’s it.
Second Period
Patrice Bergeron scored in his
ONE
THOUSANDTH
GAME!!!
And, goodest boy Brad Marchand collected his older brother’s souvenir puck. What a standup guy.
Battles raged on. Zdeno Chara threw his body around in front of Tuukka Rask, and Anders Lee just kinda had to take it, because he is a pawn in Chara’s game. Somehow Chris Wagner got a penalty out of all that mess, and Jordan Eberle tucked the puck under Tuukka from the side of the net to tie the game at 1.
That score would hold into the second intermission.
Third Period
A bit of a save-by-replay, as Boston got completely undressed on the Islanders’ second goal, only to see that goal overturned on a challenge by Bruce Cassidy. A fortunate case of the offsides review, sure, but the call was over a half-inch (and yes, the goal SHOULD have been overturned, but still) - the Bruins still flubbed on defense.
A few minutes later, and Peter Cehlarik got a bit of Eberluck, as his short-side rebound shot snuck through Lehner, who had gone completely prone for a previous shot. Now it was the B’s who enjoyed a 2-1 lead.
Grzelcyk took a double-minor by way of some rough play in the defensive zone, and Boston was able to kill all four minutes. In the waning minutes, smart plays by Sean Kuraly to protect the puck and kill time and a great stick from Marchand created the turnover that sprung he, Pastrnak, and Bergeron. Pasta had the clear lane and left it for his centerman. 3-1, final.