Bruins vs Kings 1/5/23 RECAP: B’s score in fits to beat LA 5-2!

It’s rarely ever boring, is it?

First Period:

The Kings got the ball rolling early, showing up ready to attack the B’s at every turn, and finally got on the board thanks to Phillip Danault jumping in on the back door where McAvoy kind of missed an assignment. Kings go up 1-0 late.

No further scoring occured, and we go on to the 2nd period!

Second Period:

Hey is it a day ending in Y? Are the Bruins down in a game and need to get into it?

Well, better get Pasta on that. You can handle that, can’t you Dave?

Yeah you got that. What miserable coverage by the Kings. 1-1 Tie.

Then, something funny happened; the refs missed a pretty obvious tripping call on Brad Marchand, and he proceeded to blow a gasket about it all the way over to the bench, and received a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Kings did not score on the resulting penalty, but it did one thing very important; it pissed Brad Marchand right off. He played the next five minutes like a man possessed, trying exceptionally hard to get his team ahead. Then Blake Lizotte got caught for holding on Charlie Coyle. Giving Brad the perfect opportunity to extract his vengeance.

Sometimes you can get mad and get even in the same period! Everything works out! 2-1 Bruins!

Of course, the Kings are still a very difficult team to play, and they proved it with a Sean Durzi tally that just beat Jeremy Swayman clean.

Just picked a great spot and put a rocket on it. They got their 2nd place in the Pacific for a reason (okay...for reasons beyond the Pacific being bad). 2-2 Tie.

Then Freddy fought noted Not Great Person Brendan Lemieux! I am all for punching Brendan Lemieux and more people should do it! Even in public!

Eat fists you twerp.

With that in the rear view mirror, the Bruins and the Kings went to the third to settle things.

Third Period:

It took a really long time: both sides were trading chances back and forth, and the Kings made their strongest push of the night. And then...Freddy just kinda...

Scored.

Twice. Great hustle on that assist there, Foligno! You earned it! 4-2 Bruins!

The Kings got desperate, pulling the goalie with less than 4 minutes to go, and tried getting it past David Pastrnak.

It did not work. An empty netter, the clock struck zero, and your Bruins have 30 wins on the year with a 5-2 Victory!!!

Game Notes:

• Your TOI leader at even strength was Hampus Lindholm, who clocked 23:04 tonight.
• This was not one of those nights where the Bruins mostly controlled everything as per usual for them; the Kings are poised to be VERY good and they proved it as best they can; B’s spent a good portion of it chasing and having to weather storms when they didn’t have the puck, and it’s a credit to their defense and their system that they were able to walk away with two points tonight.
• I have come to a conclusion on Jeremy Swayman: he is going to give up two goals a game. That is just what’s going to happen. What’s hard to do is get that third one, and he made it as hard as possible on the Kings, who peppered him with shots all night, and he walked away both the winner, with a tidy .931 SV%, and with a great big hug.
• Trent Frederic had himself a very nice game, which is good! He’s needed one. Two goals, one off a deflection, another just a great shot off an even better pass, and he got to beat up Brendan Lemieux! Great stuff from him tonight!
• Brad Marchand and the officials are never gonna get along. I’m at peace with that, but man that official jobbing him out might’ve been the best thing to happen tonight because he dialed himself so far in after the successful PK it’s ridiculous. He also had a little conference with the refs post-game. I am sure this will clear things up and he will not have to do this again in the near future. I am also a horrible better.
• First team to 30 wins in the NHL this season. There’s just some magic in this team that comes alive...specifically in the third period, they just can’t stop themselves. Just an unreal team having the most fun out of anybody.
• Pay David Pastrnak his money, Don.
• Now we just have [checks notes, head rolls back and groans] ...two more late games this weekend. AWESOME.

Bruins get a day off for travel, and then face San Jose on Saturday, with a horrifying 10:30pm start, again!

We’ll see you there!