Array
The Boston Bruins entered Minnesota looking to build off their 3-0 victory over the Winnipeg Jets while shaking off their losses in Detroit and Chicago.
A 60-minute effort led by Brad Marchand’s three assists culminated in Boston’s league-leading 52nd win on the season and the end of the Wild’s 14-game point streak.
Boston’s tilt against Minnesota was indeed a “wild” one. Saturday’s game featured 11 combined penalties and a pair of successful coach’s challenges initiated by Jim Montgomery.
Both of Boston’s challenges came at critical junctures. The first challenge kept Minnesota’s lead at 1-0. The second review maintained Boston’s 2-1 cushion.
Following Saturday, Boston’s video coaches are now five-for-five on the season in overturning goals.
Former Bruin Marcus Johansson struck 10:15 into the first period to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead. A collision between Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo resulted in Johansson’s tap-in during a de facto 3-on-0 at Linus Ullmark’s doorstep.
Nearing the final minute of the opening period, Jake DeBrusk hopped over the boards and flew into the offensive end, receiving a perfect tape-to-tape pass from captain Patrice Bergeron. The sixth-year Bruin fired his shot over the glove of Filip Gustavsson to tie the game at 1-1.
Boston’s slumping power play found success early in the second, as David Pastrnak’s wrist shot broke through Gustavsson for his 47th goal of the season. Pastrnak’s marker broke his 22-game skid without a power play tally.
The Bruins upped their lead to 3-1 with under six minutes remaining in the second stanza. A fortunate bounce off of a Minnesota defenseman from David Krejci’s attempted net-front feed to Charlie McAvoy found its way under Gustavsson’s pads, thus providing Boston with insurance.
Minnesota reduced Boston’s lead to one 7:17 into the third following an efficient power-play goal from Oskar Sundqvist.
