BOSTON — Losing in overtime at home in the Stanley Cup Final always is going to be a tough pill to swallow, but there was something a little more grim about the Bruins’ 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues in Game 2.
Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk exited near the end of the first period after he took a check to the head by the end boards from Oskar Sundqvist.
Grzelcyk went to play a puck along the boards in the corner behind his own net. The defenseman got caught in an awkward position and Sundqvist came barreling in, striking Grzelcyk’s head with his shoulder.
The defenseman remained down on on the ice for some time before being assisted off of the ice. Sundqvist was called for boarding on the play, and the NHL reportedly is taking a look into the hit.
After the game, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy did not have many details to provide on the blueliner.
“He went to the hospital to get some tests, and never returned obviously,” Cassidy said. “So, we’re still waiting for an update.”
Grzelcyk has seven points for the Bruins in the playoffs, five of which — including a pair of goals — have come on the man advantage, where he has become a valuable asset manning the point on the second unit.
Boston could turn to John Moore or Steven Kampfer should Grzelcyk be unavailable for Game 3 in St. Louis.
“I’m not worried about them coming in, they have played in the playoffs, helped us win games,” Cassidy said of Moore and Kampfer. “More concerned about Gryz’s health right now, I don’t have an update. Hopefully he comes back and he’s fine. We do have two days between the next game. If not, we’ll look at Johnny versus Kampfer.”
Given that Moore is a left-handed shot, like Grzelcyk, Cassidy suggested it might be most logical to plug him in his place for Game 3 if a change needs to be made.
Here are some other notes from Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final:
— Grzelcyk’s absence meant a bigger workload for all the Bruins’ defenseman, but none more than Torey Krug.
The offensive blueliner double-shifted more than once on the man advantage, taking over Grzelcyk’s role on the point with the second unit. Krug logged 6:06 on the power play. Charlie McAvoy had the second most time among defenseman when the B’s were a man up, logging 2:07.
— The Bruins went 1-for-5 on the power play in Game 2.
That makes it six straight games that Boston has scored on the man advantage, which is tied for the second-most in team playoff history. The B’s notched seven-game streaks in 1958, 1988 and 1998.
However, the Bruins power play is just 2-for-10 in the series, and has left Cassidy, and fans, wanting more from the group.
— The Blues certainly have shown a knack for bouncing back in these playoffs.
The overtime win makes St. Louis 6-2 in games after a loss.
— Joakim Nordstrom had himself one heck of a night.
Nordstrom led the team with four shots as he and the fourth line once again provided a scoring touch. He also led the charge on the opposite end, blocking five shots.
