Jimmy Hayes scored just 4:20 into the game, and the Boston Bruins rode that one goal to a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.
The Bruins placed heavy pressure on Kings goalie Peter Budaj, who stood tall and stopped 29 shots. Both teams had four power-play opportunities but couldn’t cash in one.
Here’s how it all went down at the Garden, where Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask stopped 18 shots for his fourth shutout of the season.
HAYES AND HAYMAKERS SET THE TONE
Hayes tallied just his second goal of the season to punch the Kings right in the mouth at the start.
Hayes only was in the Bruins’ lineup because of David Pastrnak’s injury-related absence, so it was an extra punch in the gut for the Kings to allow the goal. Defenseman Colin Miller and forward Dominic Moore recorded the assists on the play.
BIG BAD BRUINS
The Bruins threw their weight around in the first period, outshooting the Kings 6-5, outhitting them 13-12 and killing off two penalties. Kevan Miller also threw hands with Kyle Clifford during a solid scrum. Both were given five for fighting, and play continued uninterrupted from there.
It was a solid first period all around for Boston, which led 1-0 when the first siren rang, and Hayes’ goal held up the rest of the way.
TWO U’s, TWO K’s, TWOÂ POINTS
Rask was fantastic. He didn’t face too much pressure with the 18 shots against, but he didn’t let the Kings swing momentum with a soft goal. Rask also denied all six of the Kings’ high-danger scoring chances in all situations.
The Finnish netminder has been Boston’s MVP this season, as he’s now 15-5-3 with a 1.90 GAA and a .930 save percentage. Rask has needed to be nearly perfect for most of the season because the Bruins’ offense ranks 24th in goals scored per game and 28th in power-play percentage. So far, Rask has been up to the task, and Sunday’s shutout was further proof.
UP NEXT
The Bruins (17-3-3) will welcome the New York Islanders to the Garden on Tuesday night to end a three-game homestand. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
