Recap: Bruins edge out Jets, 3-2, with third line’s two goals

The Boston Bruins battled back to tie the game twice and win the game on another power-play goal, as they topped the Winnipeg Jets, 3-2, this afternoon at the TD Garden.

The team’s third line accounted for two goals today, one from Oskar Steen and another from Charlie Coyle, with both tallies tying the game on two separate occasions.

“[They were] a big part of our win,” Bruce Cassidy said of Steen, Coyle and Jake DeBrusk. “They were our best tonight.”

The line had a total of six shots on net and Coyle led the line with two points.

Brad Marchand also played after he was originally ruled out yesterday. Cassidy gave a pre-game update, stating Marchand felt better, would take warm-ups and possibly be in the lineup. It was a welcomed news after he sustained a hard hit on Thursday night.

The Bruins ultimately outshot the Jets, 32-24, but Winnipeg held the B’s to four shots in the first period.

Winnipeg controlled the first frame and scored on their first shot of the night.

The Jets opened the scoring at 2:46 of the first period.

Dominic Toninato dropped a pass to Jansen Harkins inside the left-wing circle for a wrister that traveled between Tuukka Rask’s glove and pads. 1-0 Jets.

The B’s had a mere two SOG through 12 minutes, as most of those were spent in the defensive zone.

But the third line gave the Bruins some much needed offensive-zone time. With a strong shift possession and cycling from the defenders to DeBrusk winning a puck battle, the Bruins found themselves evening the score.

The Bruins tied the game at 11:37 of the first period on their third shot.

Steen picked up the loose puck on Coyle’s fanned shot in the slot to put a quick wrist shot past Connor Hellebuyck’s glove. 1-1 game.

But the Jets continued to press. They moved the puck better through the neutral zone, and capitalized on yet another Bruins’ defensive-zone turnover in which their rush netted the go-ahead goal.

The Jets took the lead at 19:34 of the first period.

Off the rush, Mark Scheifele hit Andrew Copp with a centering pass in the slot for a quick tap past Rask’s glove. 2-1 Jets.

Overall, the Jets outhustled the Bruins in the first period to give them the 2-1 lead. The Bruins did however do a nice job of limiting the Jets’ power play to one shot during the only man-advantage of the period. The first frame also saw two fights and Matt Grzelcyk leaving the game for a bit after sustaining a hit along the boards by Pierre-Luc Dubois.

The second period saw the Bruins’ offense increase with good opening shifts from each line. Grzelcyk also returned for its start.

From the second’s beginning, the B’s defense was stronger at the blue line, keeping puck movement in the team’s favor and also creating opportunities sending pucks to the net like Derek Forbort did to help tie the game.

The Bruins tied the game at 2:31 of the second period.

In the slot, Coyle redirected Forbort’s blast from the point past Hellebuyck’s blocker. 2-2 game.

Coyle’s line continued to generate chances. They provided good looks and forced turnovers with their forecheck. DeBrusk in particular seemed to always be around the puck and winning foot races. His bursts of speed allowed him to drive to the net.

The Bruins’ boosted offense also gave Rask some breathing room in his second game back. Winnipeg didn’t have many dangerous chances as their shots were limited to the outside lanes.

That energy carried over in the third period where the Bruins quickly struck on the power-play to take the lead for the first time.

The Bruins took the lead at 3:59 of the third period on the power play.

Grzelcyk found David Pastrnak inside the left-wing circle for a one-timer past Hellebuyck. Final score: 3-2 Bruins.

Again, it was a Bruins’ offensive showing in the final 20 minutes as they put up 12 shots on goal to the Jets’ seven.

Special teams also did their job in the third period on three penalty kills with good clears and blocked shots.

Things did get interesting in the final minute and a half when a Bruins’ PK and Hellebuyck pulled gave the Jets a 6-on-4 chance. But the Bruins held off their pressure with a big blocked shot by Forbort and two saves by Rask. Final: 3-2 Bruins’ win.

The Bruins cap off their homestand on Monday January 24 against the Anaheim Ducks at 7 pm.