Jake DeBrusk pots winner in Bruins opening night win

After a disastrous 2020-21 season, Jake DeBrusk was no doubt hoping for a good start to this new season and reviving his promising career.

Mission accomplished.

DeBrusk broke a 1-1 tie at 4:43 of the third period, going into traffic to gather a pass from Nick Foligno, and beat Dallas Stars goalie Braden Holtby with a hard low shot to give the B’s a lead they would not relinquish.

After rookie goalie Jeremy Swayman (26 saves) made some quality saves to preserve the advantage, Brad Marchand scored an empty-netter to seal the season-opening 3-1 victory over the Stars at the Garden on Saturday night.

The Bruins took a 1-0 lead in a first period in which they held a huge shot (17-5) and territorial advantage, but they really didn’t have a ton of quality chances on Holtby, aside from a Taylor Hall tip that happened to hit Holtby in the chest.

But late in the period, Marchand picked off a Roope Hintz pass in the neutral zone and created a breakaway for himself. Ryan Suter hectored him enough with his stick to get called for a foul and Marchand was awarded a penalty shot with 2:22 left in the first period.

On the freebie, Marchand took the puck straight down the middle and beat Holtby with a wrist shot to the blocker side. It was the fifth time Marchand had scored on a penalty shot in eight career tries.

The Stars had one good chance early on a Hintz shot that rookie Swayman got with the blocker and then it hit the post, but they did not get another shot on net till there was 4:03 left in the period.

Dallas did apply some pressure in the final minute after Charlie McAvoy took a penalty for putting his hand on the puck. On the power-play, Jamie Benn was left all alone the right side, but Swayman was able to snare his shortside bid with the glove.

The Stars finally created a little sustained pressure midway through the second period and tied it up at 9:15.

The problem started when it was ruled Charlie Coyle did not gain the red line when he dumped the puck in the Dallas end from the neutral, creating a defensive zone draw. With tired legs, the B’s second line could not get the puck out against the Dallas fourth line. Tanner Kero, cutting in front of Hall, picked off a Craig Smith clear attempt at the blue line and fed Luke Glendening in the middle of the ice. Glendening moved down into the slot and beat Swayman to the blocker with a wrister to even it at 1-1.

The B’s outshot the Stars, 11-9, in the second period, but they had some work cut out for themselves in the third to create more and better scoring chances. They got it done.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3mZZZgb