The Boston Bruins couldn’t start their four-game road trip on the right foot Wednesday night despite playing a banged up Anaheim Ducks team.
The B’s dominated large stretches of the game with lots of attacking-zone play, good forechecking pressure and a 40-25 shot advantage, but some costly mistakes resulted in scores for the Ducks in a 4-2 defeat at Honda Center.
The Bruins fall to 6-7-4 with the loss, while the Ducks improve to 8-7-3.
Here’s how it all went down.
ON THE MEND
Forwards David Krejci, Brad Marchand, Anders Bjork and defenseman Adam McQuaid didn’t play Wednesday night because of injuries. Krejci is probable to return Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings. The Ducks, meanwhile, played without injured forwards Ryan Kesler and Patrick Eaves, as well as defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler, among others.
NORTHEASTERN MAN
Ducks forward Kevin Roy, who scored 65 goals in 130 career games with the Northeastern Huskies, netted his first career NHL goal in the first period to give Anaheim a 1-0 lead. The Bruins didn’t win the puck battle in front of the net and Roy made them pay. Nick Ritchie and Sami Vatanen assisted on the goal.
DANTON HEINEN CONVERTS
The Bruins came out of the first intermission with tremendous energy and at one point held a 9-0 shot advantage in the second period. Unfortunately for the B’s, Ducks goalie John Gibson was equal to the task.
However, the B’s finally beat the American netminder when Danton Heinen capped a fantastic shift with a backhand shot for his third goal of the season. Heinen’s tally tied the score 1-1 at 8:38 of the period. Riley Nash and Jake DeBrusk earned assists on the goal.
EX-HUSKIES STRIKE AGAIN
Another former Northeastern player victimized the Bruins in the second period when Ducks defenseman Josh Manson’s shot deflected off Bruins captain Zdeno Chara’s skate and past Rask to give Anaheim a 2-1 lead at 14:24 of the frame. Corey Perry and Rickard Rakell picked up assists on the goal.
TOUGH END TO THE SECOND
Ritchie scored with 47 seconds left in the second period to increase Anaheim’s lead to 3-1. The 2014 first-round pick used his 235-pound frame to drive hard to the net and capitalize on a centering pass from Antoine Vermette, who was playing in his 1,000th career game.
INSURANCE GOAL
Ducks center Derek Grant put the game out of reach 2:35 into the third period with his fourth goal of the season. Perry got the lone assist on the goal.
GOOD RETURN
Noel Acciari was back in the Bruins’ lineup Wednesday and scored a late goal with 22 seconds remaining in regulation. Brandon Carlo and DeBrusk picked up assists on Acciari’s first goal of the 2017-18 campaign.
UP NEXT
The Bruins resume their four-game road trip Thursday night against the Kings at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET.
