Faced with the prospect of losing a sixth consecutive game in regulation for the first time during the Claude Julien era, the Boston Bruins’ leaders delivered the performance their team needed Saturday night in Toronto.
The Bruins’ three letter-wearers — captain Zdeno Chara and alternates Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci — combined for two goals and two assists, and goaltender Tuukka Rask stopped 25 of the 26 shots he faced as Boston took down the Maple Leafs 3-1 at the Air Canada Centre to snap a season-long five-game losing streak.
“This is the time of the year when you’ve got to put everything on the line, and we’re just trying to lead by example on the ice, and the guys seemed to follow (Saturday),” Krejci, who assisted on the Bruins’ final two goals and was on the ice for the first, as well, told NESN rinkside reporter Sarah Davis. “So, it was a great win by everyone, and hopefully we can build on this and get another win next game.”
Production from their established veterans was lacking during the Bruins’ two-week slump. Krejci and Bergeron combined for one total point and zero goals in the four games that preceded Saturday’s, and Chara hadn’t found the back of the net since Feb. 13, going without a goal in 20 consecutive contests.
The trio’s resurgence didn’t go unnoticed by Julien, who lauded the players’ efforts in a postgame interview with NESN’s Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley.
“I was (pleased),” the Bruins coach said. “Every once in a while, when you go through those things, you need your best players to step up and do their job and let the other guys follow, and they did that (Saturday night). I thought David Krejci was much better (Saturday night) than he had been in the last few games, and the guys from Zdeno and all these leaders were much better. So, no doubt a better effort from our core group — or better, I guess, leadership from our core group, and the rest of the guys followed.”
Saturday’s two points were pivotal for Boston, as each additional one will be over the final two weeks of the regular season. Though the Detroit Red Wings’ loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the day allowed the third-place Bruins to pad their cushion a bit in the Atlantic Division standings, the B’s still lead the Wings by just three points and are looking up at both the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
With six games left to play, Krejci hopes the win over the Maple Leafs serves as a much-needed wake-up call.
“Hopefully, this was the one we needed, and now we can kind of turn things around,” said Krejci, whose team will visit the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. “We have to play the same way the next game and get another two points.”
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
