FINAL SCORE: Bruins 6, Flames 4
BRUINS RECORD: 23-14-4
FROM JOE HAGGERTY:
1. He hasn’t been the most explosive performance on a nightly basis, but John Moore has been solid for the Bruins and had one of his better nights for the Black and Gold tonight. Moore scored the game’s first goal to get the Bruins on the board, and has three shot attempts to go along with a couple of hits in 13:28 of ice time for the Black and Gold. He makes solid decisions and usually doesn’t hurt the B’s, but tonight he stepped up and made some excellent plays.
2. One of the best moments of the season for Kevan Miller arrived in the second period. He barreled over Matthew Tkachuk as the Flames power forward was heading for the bench, and then had Michael Frolik approach him as if he was going to drop the gloves. When Miller stepped up to enthusiastically answer the challenge it was Frolik that meekly skated back over to the bench. You could almost hear the sad trombone music playing in the background while it was all happening.
3. The Bruins have now allowed nine shorthanded goals on the season, which is tops among all NHL teams. More disappointing was the three Bruins players standing around and watching as both Mark Jankowski and then Mikael Ferland attacked the Boston net and ultimately scored the shorthanded goal. The nine shorthanded goals allowed have already matched the number of shorties they gave up last season, and puts them on pace to match, or surpass, the franchise-worst 18 shorthanded goals they allowed in the 2006-07 season. That is something that the Bruins absolutely need to start tightening the screws on as soon as possible.
4. Zero shots on net and exactly zero marks in anything across the score sheet in 8:52 of ice time for Danton Heinen. I will say it again. I really think that Heinen might be best served by a stint in Providence where he can rebuild his confidence and perhaps come back to Boston with a little more swagger to his game. Because it is all gone right now, baby. Credit where it’s due, though, it was Heinen that blocked a perimeter shot in the third period and then helped kick-start a transition play going the other way that led to Jake DeBrusk’s game-winning backhanded goal. So at the very least Heinen is still making defensive plays to help the B’s win even if the offense is almost nonexistent right now.
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5. A two-goal game for Jake DeBrusk in the 6-4 win as the young winger seems to have truly recovered his game after returning from the concussion. It’s the fourth multi-goal game of the season for DeBrusk and his 12th and 13th goals of the season put him in a tie with Patrice Bergeron for third on the team in scoring. It also gives DeBrusk the dubious honor of being the only guy now on the Perfection Line that has cracked double-digit goals this season. So it’s pretty important that DeBrusk stay healthy and productive for the Black and Gold.
HIGHLIGHTS
FLAMES SCORE SHORTHANDED
MOORE RESPONDS QUICKLY FOR B'S
DEBRUSK PUTS B'S AHEAD
FLAMES TIE IT BACK UP...
...BUT MARCHAND SAYS 'NOT SO FAST'
FROLIK WANTS NO PART OF MILLER
KRUG ---> PASTA MAKES IT 4-2 B'S
GAUDREAU BRINGS FLAMES BACK WITHIN ONE
DEBRUSK SCORES HIS SECOND
FLAMES BACK WITHIN ONE AGAIN
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SATURDAY: vs Sabres, 7:00 p.m. (NESN)
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