After a rough start in the first two periods, Boston made a game of it with a pair of Nathan Horton goals in the third. But they couldn't come all the way back, as the Coyotes closed out an impressive effort on their part with a late empty-netter.
The Bruins won't have to wait long for a shot at redemption, as these clubs meet again on Sunday. That's an early one for folks back in Boston, where it will be a 10 a.m. start time.
Third Period, 18:20, Coyotes 5-2: With Rask out early because of the two-goal deficit, Phoenix ices it as Vrbata scores an empty-netter from center ice.
Solid effort in the third to make it interesting, but too deep a hole for the Bruins to climb out of.
Third Period, 15:35, Coyotes 4-2: Almost a disaster for the Bruins there, as Vrbata hits the post from the slot.
The Bruins already face a tough task in trying to complete this comeback in the final five minutes, and a goal there would have ended any hopes.
Third Period, 13:46, Coyotes 4-2: The Bruins are making Bryzgalov work for this win if he is able to hold on.
They've already fired 38 shots on him, with every Bruin except Seidenberg having at least one shot.
Rask has been almost as busy at the other end, facing 34 shots so far.
Third Period, 12:11, Coyotes 4-2: The Bruins kill off the penalty and have a chance to get back on the attack to continue their comeback now.
With Campbell in the box, Krejci joined Paille up front on the top PK pair for that shift.
Third Period, 10:11, Coyotes 4-2: The Bruins' momentum slows a bit as Greg Campbell is sent off for slashing.
Huge penalty kill for the B's here, as Phoenix has scored on its only other power-play opportunity so far.
Third Period, 9:03, Coyotes 4-2: This one isn't over just yet, as Horton strikes again with a power-play goal to make it 4-2.
This one came from the left circle as he fired in a wrister that hit off Bryzgalov's pad and the inside of the near post before going in.
Chara and Ryder get the assists as the Bruins make this one a game again.
Third Period, 7:35, Coyotes 4-1: Zdeno Chara throws a huge hit in the corner that draws attention from both Doan and Upshall, but Phoenix gets the only penalty with a hooking call on Belanger.
The Bruins might not be able to dig their way out of a hole this big, but it's at least nice to see them respond with a much better effort and some energy here in the third.
Third Period, 3:42, Coyotes 4-1: The action is coming fast and furious now, as the other new Bruin from the offseason trade with Florida gets onto the scoresheet.
Greg Campbell drops the gloves with Vern Fiddler in an entertaining middleweight affair for the first scrap of the season.
Third Period, 3:32, Coyotes 4-1: And the Bruins are finally on the board, with Nathan Horton scoring is first goal for Boston.
Krejci started the pressure with a great move around a defender at the blue line and feed it over to Lucic for a chance in front.
That play didn't work, but the Bruins kept it in and Horton picked the top left corner with a perfect shot from the slot off a feed from Lucic.
Third Period, 2:30, Coyotes 4-0: Some signs of life from the Bruins, with the fourth line supplying the offensive pressure.
Marchand created a couple of chances, but the Bruins still can't get on the board.
Third Period, 0:30, Coyotes 4-0: The final period is under way, and the Bruins have kept Rask in goal.
With another game less than 24 hours away, they could have pulled Rask for teh third, even though he's not to blame for most of the damage Phoenix has done.
It will be interesting to see if Tim Thomas gets the nod in the rematch on Sunday.
Second Intermission Thoughts: Considering how last season ended and the way the Bruins were able to still generate so much excitement over the course of the offseason, this was the worst possible way for the new campaign to start for Boston.
Despite the offseason additions, this year's edition of the Bruins bears an uncanny resemblance to last year's version on first glance.
Boston is again struggling to score, especially on the power play, while key mistakes at inopportune times have cost them with Phoenix taking full advantage of just about every opportunity.
It was a rough second period for Tyler Seguin, who is now a minus-2. He does have four shots and is 6-2 on face-offs. That's better than Matt Hunwick, who is a team-worst minus-3. Not the start Hunwick needed after his struggles last year. Michael Ryder is also a minus-2 and can't afford to keep playing this way considering his poor performance last season.
The Bruins also need to be more disciplined and play smarter. Horrible decision by Paille on the turnover that led to Phoenix's third goal, while Marchand took a bad penalty that led to the fourth.
The Bruins have 20 minutes left to at least clean up some of those mistakes and make some positive strides to build off going into Sunday's rematch.
End Second Period, Coyotes 4-0: And an ugly middle frame comes to a merciful end for the Bruins.
Phoenix struck for three more goals in the second to take a commanding 4-0 lead into the third. The Bruins have a lot of work to do to clean up their game after a rough start to the season.
Second Period, 19:43, Coyotes 4-0: And this one is official ugly now, as Eric Belanger scores on the power play to make it 4-0.
Excellent movement on the man-advantage by Phoenix, as Whitney starts the play with a pass from the left boards to Yandle in the high slot, and he send it down low to Belanger for the easy tap in.
Second Period, 18:56, Coyotes 3-0: More trouble for the Bruins, as Brad Marchand is sent off for tripping.
This is Phoenix's first power play of the game as the coyotes will have a chance to extend their lead further.
Second Period, 18:25, Coyotes 3-0: We have a Michael Ryder sighting, as he fires in a blast from the right wing, but the Bruins can't collect the rebound.
Second Period, 16:45, Coyotes 3-0: Wheeler creates a chance with Bergeron after stealing a sloppy drop pass at the blue line, but the Bruins still can't get one past Bryzgalov.
Boston needs to get something here before the end of the period to have any chance of coming back in the third.
Second Period, 15:02, Coyotes 3-0: The Bruins are definitely in trouble now, as a bad Daniel Paille turnover giftwraps Phoenix's third goal.
Paille tries a blind backhand pass just inside the blue line, which Scottie Upshall intercepts and breaks in alone on Rask. Upshall beats him just inside the left post with a forehand stick-side to make it 3-0 with the unassisted goal.
Second Period, 13:15, Coyotes 2-0: Lee Stempniak has a bid from the right circle that Rask denies, and the Phoenix winger pays for the chance.
Marchand nailed him in the corner, then Mark Stuart also knocks him down. The Bruins are starting to pick up the physical play a bit.
Second Period, 10:43, Coyotes 2-0: Another big stop by Rask, who flashes the glove again to snare a high shot through a screen in front.
After showing some signs of life early in the second, the Bruins have been back on their heels again these last few shifts.
The Bruins did have a chance for a pair of 2-on-1s, but didn't come away with a shot on either.
Second Period, 9:04, Coyotes 2-0: Big save by Rask, as the Bruins let Phoenix gain the zone with speed and Vern Fiddler fires in a blast from the left wing.
That was way too easy for the Coyotes to create a quality chance, but Rask stands tall to make the save.
Second Period, 8:23, Coyotes 2-0: Best shift of the night for the Krejci line, as the Bruins are finally mounting some sustained pressure.
Horton had some nice chances on that shift, as the Bruins kept Phoenix hemmed in their own zone.
The Coyotes use their timeout to regroup after an icing to relieve the pressure.
Second Period, 6:30, Coyotes 2-0: Bruins showing some signs of life at last.
After an icing, Bergeron wins an offensive-zone face-off that leads to a bid by Wheeler from the high slot, but the puck stays out and he Bruins still trail 2-0.
Second Period, 4:46, Coyotes 2-0: Still not much jump from the Bruins in this one, as they're being outskated and outworked by the Coyotes.
Lucic finally gains a head of steam on one rush, but it gets whistled down for offsides.
Second Period, 1:58, Coyotes 2-0: The Bruins now face a much more serious hole, as Taylor Pyatt make it 2-0 for Phoenix.
After a wraparound attempt was stuffed at the right post, Pyatt gained position on Dennis Seidenberg in front and popped the rebound up and over Rask.
Big early test here for the Bruins, who have to find an answer and snap out of their slumber here in this one.
Second Period, 0:30, Coyotes 1-0: The second period is under way in Prague, with the bruins looking to pull even after falling behind 1-0 in the first.
This is a big 20 minutes for the Bruins, who have to answer Phoenix's effort in the first period and start generating some offensive chances.
First Intermission Thoughts: This wasn't the start the Bruins wanted in the first game of the season, but it's far from a disaster as Boston trails by just one goal after 20 minutes.
Rask had little chance on that one, as he was on the other side of the net trying to defend the initial shot from the point, and Vrbata was left all alone at the right post. Rask did come up with a couple huge saves later to keep the Bruins within striking distance.
Tyler Seguin's first period in the NHL is in the books, and he certainly didn't look out of place. he leads all players with three shots and won 2 of 3 of the face-offs he took, but also was charged with a giveaway. he's played 5:59 so far, including 2:59 on the power play.
That power play has struggled mightily though, going 0 for 3 so far, including a brief 5-on-3 opportunity. That's bearing a little too much of a resemblance to last year. The Bruins need to generate more from the man-advantage and get the offense going.
So far, Nathan Horton has had a quiet night with no shots, and he is a minus-1 as the Krejci line was on the ice for Phoenix's goal.
End First Period, Coyotes 1-0: The Bruins head into the first intermission down by a goal.
It could have been worse if not for Tuukka Rask, who came up with a pair of huge stops when Phoenix threatened short-handed.
First Period, 18:18, Coyotes 1-0: The Bruins come up empty again on the power play, managing just two shots.
Makeshift line on the ice after the power play, as Campbell plays between Horton and Lucic as Krejci just finished his power-play shift.
First Period, 17:29, Coyotes 1-0: A huge save by Rask as Phoenix again threatens while short-handed.
Prucha stole the puck from Chara at the right point and broke in alone, but rask flashes the glove to make a huge stop.
First Period, 16:18, Coyotes 1-0: Another power-play chance for the Bruins.
Vrbata in the box this time for interference.
First Period, 16:00, Coyotes 1-0: A couple of interesting conversations going on in Prague.
On the bench, Patrice Bergeron leans over to give some advice to Seguin. On the ice, Lucic has to be separated from Vrbata on the face-off.
First Period, 15:27, Coyotes 1-0: The Bruins can't convert on the back-to-back power-play chances.
Phoenix actually had the best scoring chance with Hanzal's bid. Boston still looking to get anything going offensively.
First Period, 13:27, Coyotes 1-0: The Bruins now get a brief two-man advantage as Jovanovski is sent off for roughing after delivering a right cross to Chara's face in the corner.
Very undisciplined play by Jovanovski and a big chance for the Bruins to tie this one.
First Period, 12:03, Coyotes 1-0: The Bruins get the first power-play chance of the game with Shane Doan off for hooking.
But it's Phoenix that nearly scores short-handed when Hanzal breaks in alone. Rask comes up with the big save to keep it a one-goal game.
First Period, 11:00, Coyotes 1-0: The Bruins having a lot of trouble getting the puck out of their zone, as Chara and Boychuk were hemmed in deep for a long shift.
The Coyotes seem to have gotten a boost from that goal.
First Period, 8:00, Coyotes 1-0: And the Bruins face their first deficit of the season, as Phoenix strikes first in this one.
Radim Vrbata thrills the Czech crowd by popping in the rebound out of mid-air at the right post after Aucoin Aucoin sent the initial shot in from the right point. Ed Jovanovski gets the other assist. Some nice hand-eye coordination there by Vrbata, while Rask had no chance to get back across in time to stop Vrbata's perfectly placed bunt single.
First Period, 6:45, 0-0: A little action in the crease, as Upshall tries to follow a Prucha shot and plows over Rask, sending both the goalie and the goal flying.
That draws a crowd as the Bruins don't like seeing Rask roughed up, but no penalties called.
First Period, 6:14, 0-0: Break in the action here, with Phoenix up 3-1 in shots.
Who had Mark Stuart down for the Bruins' first shot on goal of the season?
First Period, 5:10, 0-0: And Marchand gets paid back as he is flattened by Phoenix defenseman Sami Lepisto.
Good to see a little physical play as the teams are feeling each other out in the early going of this one.
First Period, 3:20, 0-0: The fourth line makes its first appearance and Brad Marchand makes his presence felt with the first big hit of the game on Petr Prucha.
A strong finish to camp not only locked down a roster spot for Marchand, but put him in the lineup over rookie Jordan caron in the opener. Marchand is skating with Greg Campbell and Shawn Thornton.
First Period, 1:52, 0-0: Tyler Seguin is on the ice for his first shift as a Bruin in a real game.
Should be the first of many for the prized prospect.
First Period, 0:00, 0-0: And the 2010-11 season is under way, with Krejci winning the opening face-off.
A nice start to what will hopefully be a big season for the B's.
12:05 p.m.: David Krejci draws the starting assignment in his home country between Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton in this one for the Bruins.
Matt Hunwick and Dennis Seidenberg open on defense, with Tuukka Rask in goal.
Phoenix counters with Czechs Martin Hanzal and Radim Vrbata, along with Ray Whotney, up front, Adrian Aucoin and Ed Jovanovski on defense and Ilya Bryzgalov in goal.
12:00 p.m.: The official lineups are in, and Jordan Caron and Adam McQuaid are the scratches for Boston, along with third goalie Nolan Schaefer.
For Phoenix, Scottie Upshall is a go, but former Bruin Derek Morris will not play in this one. Sami Lepisto steps in on defense. Tough guy Paul Bissonnette, Kyle Turris and third goalie Al Montoya are the other scratches.
With Bissonnette out, don't expect much rough stuff in this one. He had 19 of Phoenix's 30 fighting majors last year, and no one else on this year's squad likes to drop the gloves often.
11:55 a.m.: Despite their strong season last year, the embattled Coyotes don't draw big crowds in Phoenix very often.
So they may welcome the packed house expected at Prague's O2 Arena in this one.
And Phoenix might even have a bit of a home-ice advantage as the locals will have three Czechs on the Coyotes roster to root for in forwards Martin Hanzal, Petr Prucha and Radim Vrbata.
The Bruins are outnumbered, but they will give the locals a couple guys to cheer. David Krejci is the only Boston player from the Czech Republic, but captain Zdeno Chara is from neighboring Slovakia and will have plenty of friends and family on hand for the rare chance to see him play in Europe.
11:45 a.m.: To follow up what the Bruins' lineup looks like, here's how the Coyotes stack up for this one.
Wojtek Wolski-Eric Belanger-Shane Doan
Ray Whitney-Martin Hanzal-Radim Vrbata
Taylor Pyatt-Vern Fiddler-Lee stempniak
Scottie Upshall-Lauri Korpikoski-Petr Prucha
Keith Yandle-Derek Morris
Adrian Aucoin-Ed Jovanovski
Oliver Larsson-Ekman-David Schlemko
Ilya Bryzgalov
Jason LaBarbera
Bryzgalov will get the start in goal as expected. Upshall and Morris are game-time decisions after suffering preseson lower-body injuries. Tough guy Paul Bissonnette looks to be a scratch unless Upshall can't go or if coach Dave Tippett makes a last-minute change.
11:30 a.m.: The long-awaited start to the season is just over a half-hour away, but the Bruins already have reason to celebrate as they have signed captain Zdeno Chara to a seven-year extension.
That deal follows on the heels of Patrice Bergeron's three-year extension that was announced on Friday, so the Bruins have made sure their two most important potential free agents won't be exploring the market after the season.
As for the opener, the final lineups have not been submitted as each team has some tough decisions to make on which players to scratch in the first game, but here's how the lines looked in warm-ups:
Boston
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton
Blake Wheeler-Patrice Bergeron-Mark Recchi
Daniel Paille-Tyler Seguin-Michael Ryder
Shawn Thornton-Greg Campbell-Brad Marchand
Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk
Matt Hunwick-Dennis Seidenberg
Mark Stuart-Andrew Ference
Tuukka Rask
Tim Thomas
Rask gets the start in goal as expected. Rookie Jordan Caron could still get slotted into the lineup, but looks to be the odd man out for now, while Adam McQuaid will be the scratch on defense.
9:30 a.m.: After nearly five months of waiting, the Bruins will finally get back on the ice for a game that counts as they take on Phoenix in the first of back-to-back matchups with the Coyotes in Prague.
The Bruins don't face Pacific Division clubs like Phoenix often with the unbalanced schedule in the NHL. But while the Coyotes might not be a familiar foe, the Bruins know they will be a formidable one.
Phoenix is coming off a 107-point campaign in 2009-10, and after falling in the first round to Detroit, the Coyotes have their own postseason demons to exorcise this season. Both teams will be looking to get this season off on the right note, and that won't be easy for the Bruins against a talented Phoenix squad.
"This is a good test for us," said Bruins coach Claude Julien on Friday. "Phoenix is a very good team. They were a good team last year, and although they surprised people it wasn't by accident. They've got some pretty good depth. They've got some good skill. They've got some pretty good players on that team, so it will be a good test for us and I think after this weekend it will be a good way for us to evaluate our hockey club. Hopefully it's a positive one."
The puck drops at 6 p.m. local time in Prague, but that's an early matinee back in New England where the start time will be at noon. Check back here throughout the day to follow all the action as the Bruins kick off their highly anticipated 2010-11 season.
