What an effort by the Bruins.
After Tuukka Rask opted out of the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday and with David Pastrnak still out of the lineup, Boston got a much-needed 3-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3.
It was a tough game for Anders Bjork, who committed three penalties, one resulting in a goal against the Bruins. He skated in just one shift during the third period.
But in the end, the Bruins emerged victorious.
Charlie Coyle, Sean Kuraly and Brad Marchand (empty-netter) accounted for Boston’s goals, while Nino Niederreiter had Carolina’s.
Jaroslav Halak denied 29 shots, while Petr Mrazek — who faced a slew of pucks — turned away 36.
With the win, the Bruins took a 2-1 lead in the series.
More: Tuukka Rask Has Bruins’ ‘Full Support’ After Opting Out Of NHL Bubble
Here’s how it all went down:
PENALTIES GALORE
Boston found itself shorthanded just 12 seconds into the game when Brad Marchand was called for tripping Sebastian Aho. But the Bruins were able to kill it off despite plenty of pressure from Carolina.
A power play for the Bruins proved futile before they killed off a Bjork slashing call with 4:32 left in the opening 20 minutes.
Carolina appeared to score with 2:20 left when the no-goal call was challenged after Jaroslav Halak made an incredible glove save as the puck crossed the line. But the call stood and the game remained 0-0.
After review we have NO GOAL!#NHLBruins | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/QHfhSwF4jp
— #StanleyCup Playoffs on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) August 15, 2020
The Bruin got a crucial chance with 2:02 to go when Trevor van Riemsdyk committed a double-minor high-stick penalty on Joakim Nordstrom.
Patrice Bergeron had a chance right in front of the net, but Mrazek held on and the period expired.
Carolina outshot Boston by a whopping 15-7.
COYLE GETS IT GOING
The power play paid off for the B’s to start the second.
Boston still was up a man from the double-minor in the first, and cross-ice dump that bounced off the boards created a scoring chance for Marchand. The shot went mid-air and Coyle perfectly hit it into the net by Mrazek for the 1-0 lead.
Batter up.@CharlieCoyle_3 | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/alPHaYB2Y0
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) August 15, 2020
Straight up, this is so sick. Well done, @CharlieCoyle_3. #StanleyCup
🇺🇸: https://t.co/UfgC6MEihV @NHLonNBCSports
🇨🇦: https://t.co/ujaIEh4p5C @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/FqlcmU9Rnb— NHL (@NHL) August 15, 2020
Carolina killed off a Dougie Hamilton penalty before the Bruins, once again, found themselves down a man when Anders Bjork went to the penalty box for the second time during the game with with 6:57 left in the second. But the Bruins remained up by a goal after the two minutes.
The Canes took the seventh penalty of the game and Boston was up a man when Ondrej Kase drew an interference call with 4:11 to go. Despite some prime chances the Bruins came up empty-handed thanks to Mrazek being outstanding between the pipes.
And just like the Bruins did in the first, the Canes had a power play to end the first that spilled over into the third period when Par Lindholm was whistled for cross-checking.
The horn sounded and the B’s remained up 1-0 and turned their shooting game around, outshooting their opponents 20-8.
BRUINS WIN IT
The Bruins didn’t let the Carolina power play stop them and capitalized down a man.
Kuraly redirected a feed from Coyle past Mrazek to make it 2-0.
That is what we call a shorty! 🚨#NHLBruins strike on the PK. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/Dxk1RHiLuj
— #StanleyCup Playoffs on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) August 15, 2020
The Hurricanes got one back on a play Halak likely wishes he could get back.
The goalie went behind the net to retrieve the puck and shot it right onto Niederreiter’s stick for the easy goal on an ugly goal turnover to cut into Boston’s lead 2-1.
#TakeWarning – the @Canes have made it a one-goal game. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/1Vi33em83O
— #StanleyCup Playoffs on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) August 15, 2020
Andrei Svechnikov got tangled up with Zdeno Chara and couldn’t quite get his skate out from under him and took an awkward fall to the ice. He remained down for several minutes before being helped off the ice by his teammates.
Mrazek went to the Carolina bench in the final minutes, but Marchand scored the empty-netter to put the game away.
UP NEXT
The Bruins will look to take a 3-1 lead at 8 p.m. ET on Monday in Game 4.
