Bruins answer back, beat Penguins, 3-1

The Bruins were not quite in a must-win situation on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, but they played like it.

As a result, the B’s produced a terrific answer performance to Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Penguins, beating the Pens at PPG Paints Arena, 3-1.

As often happens with team when it finds itself in a tough spot, the leaders led the way. The B’s got goals from David Krejci, Brad Marchand and newest top six forward Taylor Hall.

The Penguins got on the board with 2:21 left in the third when Jeff Carter ripped a perfect shot past Tuukka Rask, off the far post and in.

The Pens pulled Tristan Jarry, but they could not beat Rask (25 shots) again.

Despite taking the only two penalties of the first period, the B’s played well in the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Pens 14-11 with the top two lines leading the way. Both the Patrice Bergeron line and the David Krejci unit had their chances, perhaps the best being a Bergeron from the slot that went wide. Tristan Jarry also made a desperation save on Bergeron when he was on his side.

Still, they could not find the back of the net, making it four straight periods in Pittsburgh without a goal for them.

Meanwhile, Rask, who was mediocre in his previous start in Buffalo last Friday, was very good in the first, making a couple of high-danger ones.

It appeared as though the B’s and Penguins would go into the third at 0-0 for the second straight game after the B’s could not convert on their first power play of the two-game set, stretching their streak of futility to an 0-for-14 skid.

But shortly after Evan Rodrigues left the box after serving two minutes for a very questionable roughing penalty, the B’s scored their first goal of the short series at 18:11.

Rask handed the puck off to Charlie McAvoy, who made a nice rush halfway up the ice before making a nice pass to Krejci in stride at the blue line. Krejci went to his off side into the left circle, turning defenseman Mike Matheson, and then beating Jarry with a far side backhand shot.

That was Krejci’s seventh goal of the season and fourth since the trade deadline.

The B’s then made it 2-0 at 9:10 of the third period on a relentless play by their two top line wings. David Pastrnak withstood a neutral zone hit and continued to attack before feeding Brad Marchand, who fired a shot that Jarry stopped. He could not control the rebound and Pastrnak had another whack at it. That did not go, but Marchand stayed in the play and was there at the side of the net to pop home the loose puck for his 26th of the year.

Then, with 7:42 left in the third, Hall made it 3-0 on another goal off the rush. Krejci dished to Hall in the high slot and Hall showed why he was the first overall pick 11 years ago, snapping a bullet over Jarry’s blocker shoulder.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2QFVWcu