Another disappointing effort leads to a 5-1 loss to Montreal Canadiens
Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images |
The Bruins gave the start to Niklas Svedberg, who entered Wednesday’s game against Toronto partly into the second. The Bruins scratched Matt Bartkowski and Alexander Khokhlachev, after recalling Khokhlachev from Providence on an emergency basis.
Dale Weise and Gregory Campbell got into it at the start of the first, after Weise laid a solid hit Campbell, who wasn’t too happy and promptly retaliated. Weise was ready, and the two were sent to the box for matching fighting penalties. Brad Marchand was called for holding on Alex Galchenyuk, but the Bruins were able to kill the penalty amidst sloppy changes. The Canadiens’ earliest chance was a shot that found its way through traffic, but Svedberg was able to quickly get his glove on it. A scrum surrounding Niklas Svedberg being plowed over saw two minutes of 4-on-4 play, and the Canadiens would take the 5-1 win.
Daniel Paille found himself with great opportunities in front on two separate shifts, but could not finish on either. The chances probably added to Paille’s frustration, as he hasn’t had a point in his last seven games. P.A. Parenteau was called for hooking, and three seconds into the power play the Bruins struck first, with Dougie Hamilton finding the back of the net off of a slapshot. With less than a minute left in the first, the Canadiens almost got on the board, but Svedberg used his left pad to absolutely rob Max Pacioretty of a beauty of a play to end the first with the Bruins leading, 1-0.
Dale Weise tied the game, going five-hole on a penalty shot after Carl Soderberg tried to make a diving save and tripped him. Pacioretty drew a holding penalty on McQuaid to send the Canadiens to their second power play of the night. The Bruins stayed afloat after a few good shots by the Canadiens, but Dougie Hamilton was sent to the box for high-sticking shortly after McQuaid left it. The Bruins were able to fight against the offensive pressure, killing the penalty.
Matt Fraser and Nathan Beaulieu dropped the gloves in a less than impressive match a little more than halfway into the second, with Fraser making his way down the tunnel following the scrum. Lars Eller lit the lamp to put the Canadiens up 2-1 with seven minutes remaining in the period, with a miscommunication between the defensemen behind the goal. Pacioretty gave the Canadiens their second goal in two minutes to put them up 3-1. The Bruins didn’t make it any easier for themselves, with Gregory Campbell heading to the box for hooking. Tomas Plekanec choked, unable to put the puck past Svedberg with a wide-open net. PK Subban went after Lucic after he laid a good hit on Jiri Sekac, and got sent to the box for cross-checking. In a strange display of poise, Lucic didn’t retaliate, only exchanging words with the defenseman to draw the penalty.
The Bruins started the third period with a one-man advantage, 1:21 left on their power play, but the Bruins were unable to produce. The Canadiens notched another one, with David Desharnais beating Svedberg in front of the net. The Bruins were sent to the power play after Morrow was tripped. Simon Gagne was called for boarding, putting Montreal on their fourth power play of the night, and Sekac put them up 5-1.
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