Loui Eriksson carries the puck in the third period against the Minnesota Wild. Photo credit: Maddie Meyer, Getty Images.
The Bruins swept a home-and-home series against the Maple Leafs after a win against the Wild and a loss against the Sharks. Let's see the highlights:
Eriksson's Hat Trick Lifts Bruins Against Minnesota
In a 4-2 win against the Minnesota Wild (currently 3rd in a ludicrously strong Central Division), Loui Eriksson shone with three goals on five shots. On the first goal, Eriksson scored off of a deflection when he tried to make a centering pass to Brett Connolly. While commentators initially thought the puck bounced off Connolly's skate or stick, replays determined that it actually bounced off of Wild forward Jason Pominville.
His second strike came on the power play. After Torey Krug's shot was blocked, Patrice Bergeron dug the puck out from rearguard Jared Spurgeon's stick before blindly backhanding the puck to Loui Eriksson, who at first jammed the puck into the pads of goalie Devan Dubnyk before shovelling it in.
The third goal, which completed the hat trick and put the Bruins up 4-2 in a tense game. After a pass to Mikko Koivu was intercepted by Colin Miller and poked into the neutral zone, Loui Eriksson was the beneficiary of a 3-on-1. After getting to the puck in the neutral zone, he passed to David Krejci, who promptly passed the puck right back to Eriksson, who one-timed it past Devan Dubnyk before either Dubynk or Ryan Suter could react.
Chara Scores Winner in First Game Against Toronto
Zdeno Chara showed why his slapshot is considered to be the best in the league by scoring the game-winner in a 2-0 win against the Leafs. After the puck emerged from a throng of players along the boards, Chara's D partner Zach Trotman faked a shot before passing to Chara. Chara, with abundant time and space, teed the puck up before firing a rocket past a stunned James Reimer. That goal would be the decider in a tense game with a lack of scoring chances.
Krejci Nets Shootout Winner As Bruins Blow 2-0 In Second Game Against Toronto
David Krejci provided relief for nervous Bruins fans in the second game of their home-and-home series against Toronto with quick stickhandling and a shot that just squeezed through the five-hole of James Reimer.
Prior to Krejci's winner, the Bruins had blown a 2-0 lead after a shorthanded goal from Brad Marchand (which I'll talk about later) and Zac Rinaldo's first of the season, brought to you by a beautiful saucer pass by . . . Dennis Seidenberg, of all people. Anyway, Joffrey Lupul and Leo Komarov tied the game, then a goal from Brad Marchand put the Bruins on top again, and then diaster struck. Following a blueline shot from P.A. Parenteau and a subsequent shot on the rebound by Shawn Matthias, Tyler Bozak rammed the rebound home from a sharp angle to tie the game at three.
Honestly, the Bruins were pretty lucky they came out of this one with two points, as they were outshot 18-12 after Bozak's goal. Sometimes the best team doesn't win.
Marchand Scores Two Against Toronto, Including SHG
Brad Marchand got the Bruins on the board and started off the scoring with his first shorty of the year. After a streaking Marchand stole the puck from James Reimer and set up Patrice Bergeron, he whacked the rebound out of midair with a baseball swing into the wide-open net. Marchand has scored a whopping nine shorthanded goals in the last three seasons, leading the league.
Rask's 39 Saves Keep Bruins in it During the Second Game of Home-and-Home
Tuukka Rask put in an exemplary performance against Toronto as the B's were outshot 42-29. Rask made 39 saves and denied Peter Holland, P.A. Parenteau, and Joffrey Lupul in the shootout.
One of his saves include a spectacular glove save against James van Riemsdyk in overtime. A slapper from Dion Phaneuf bounced off Rask's pads and right to van Riemsdyk, who shot the puck . . . right into the glove of Rask, who snagged what most would call a sure goal.
Landon Ferraro Makes Bruins Debut, Is Interviewed By Dad
Eriksson's Hat Trick Lifts Bruins Against Minnesota
In a 4-2 win against the Minnesota Wild (currently 3rd in a ludicrously strong Central Division), Loui Eriksson shone with three goals on five shots. On the first goal, Eriksson scored off of a deflection when he tried to make a centering pass to Brett Connolly. While commentators initially thought the puck bounced off Connolly's skate or stick, replays determined that it actually bounced off of Wild forward Jason Pominville.
His second strike came on the power play. After Torey Krug's shot was blocked, Patrice Bergeron dug the puck out from rearguard Jared Spurgeon's stick before blindly backhanding the puck to Loui Eriksson, who at first jammed the puck into the pads of goalie Devan Dubnyk before shovelling it in.
The third goal, which completed the hat trick and put the Bruins up 4-2 in a tense game. After a pass to Mikko Koivu was intercepted by Colin Miller and poked into the neutral zone, Loui Eriksson was the beneficiary of a 3-on-1. After getting to the puck in the neutral zone, he passed to David Krejci, who promptly passed the puck right back to Eriksson, who one-timed it past Devan Dubnyk before either Dubynk or Ryan Suter could react.
Chara Scores Winner in First Game Against Toronto
Zdeno Chara showed why his slapshot is considered to be the best in the league by scoring the game-winner in a 2-0 win against the Leafs. After the puck emerged from a throng of players along the boards, Chara's D partner Zach Trotman faked a shot before passing to Chara. Chara, with abundant time and space, teed the puck up before firing a rocket past a stunned James Reimer. That goal would be the decider in a tense game with a lack of scoring chances.
Krejci Nets Shootout Winner As Bruins Blow 2-0 In Second Game Against Toronto
David Krejci provided relief for nervous Bruins fans in the second game of their home-and-home series against Toronto with quick stickhandling and a shot that just squeezed through the five-hole of James Reimer.
Prior to Krejci's winner, the Bruins had blown a 2-0 lead after a shorthanded goal from Brad Marchand (which I'll talk about later) and Zac Rinaldo's first of the season, brought to you by a beautiful saucer pass by . . . Dennis Seidenberg, of all people. Anyway, Joffrey Lupul and Leo Komarov tied the game, then a goal from Brad Marchand put the Bruins on top again, and then diaster struck. Following a blueline shot from P.A. Parenteau and a subsequent shot on the rebound by Shawn Matthias, Tyler Bozak rammed the rebound home from a sharp angle to tie the game at three.
Honestly, the Bruins were pretty lucky they came out of this one with two points, as they were outshot 18-12 after Bozak's goal. Sometimes the best team doesn't win.
Marchand Scores Two Against Toronto, Including SHG
Brad Marchand got the Bruins on the board and started off the scoring with his first shorty of the year. After a streaking Marchand stole the puck from James Reimer and set up Patrice Bergeron, he whacked the rebound out of midair with a baseball swing into the wide-open net. Marchand has scored a whopping nine shorthanded goals in the last three seasons, leading the league.
Rask's 39 Saves Keep Bruins in it During the Second Game of Home-and-Home
Tuukka Rask put in an exemplary performance against Toronto as the B's were outshot 42-29. Rask made 39 saves and denied Peter Holland, P.A. Parenteau, and Joffrey Lupul in the shootout.
One of his saves include a spectacular glove save against James van Riemsdyk in overtime. A slapper from Dion Phaneuf bounced off Rask's pads and right to van Riemsdyk, who shot the puck . . . right into the glove of Rask, who snagged what most would call a sure goal.
Landon Ferraro Makes Bruins Debut, Is Interviewed By Dad
Landon Ferraro being interviewed by his father, Ray, who is working as an analyst at TSN. Video screenshot.
In one of the lighter moments of the season, newly-acquired Landon Ferraro was interviewed by his father, Ray, a former NHL player himself who is now a respected analyst for TSN. The elder Ferraro played over 1200 NHL games and scored 898 points with the Hartford Whalers, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, and St. Louis Blues, while the younger Ferraro has played 17 games and scored one point with the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins.
THREE STARS FOR THE BRUINS
THREE STARS FOR THE BRUINS
- Brad Marchand - The undersized winger scored five goals in the four games he played this week, including his two against the Leafs, as I mentioned earlier. He's been a key contributor over the past few games.
- Loui Eriksson - Eriksson's 3rd career hat trick earned him the second star. He also chipped in with a goal against San Jose.
- Tuukka Rask - He'd be higher on the list if it weren't for his ugly performance against the Sharks. But since then, his save percentage has been .953 and his save percentage climbed to .900 for the first time this season. While that sounds like a pretty sad achievement, I think it shows that his game is trending up.