BOSTON — The Bruins got back on track with a comeback 3-2 win over the Hurricanes on Friday afternoon at TD Garden and made NHL history with 12 straight wins on home ice.
Boston improved to 18-3-0, while Carolina dipped to 10-6-5.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
The penalty kill continues to be an issue for the Bruins.
After giving up three power-play goals to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night, the Hurricanes opened the scoring in the first period with Matt Grzelcyk in the box for the Bruins. Carolina was on an 0-for-20 skid on the power play going into Friday’s tilt and ended the slump the first chance it got against its opponent.
The Bruins, meanwhile, now have surrendered a power-play goal in six consecutive games — their longest stretch since last season when Boston was ravaged by COVID-19.
The Hurricanes had another power play toward the end of the first and found a way to capitalize once again to make it 2-0 at the end of 20 minutes. After an on-time start for the Bruins, they quickly lost the momentum and gave it all away to the ‘Canes.
It becomes clearer and clearer with each passing game that the penalty kill is missing Derek Forbort, who remains sidelined with a broken finger. The earliest the blueliner can return from long-term injured reserve is Nov. 29, but it’s unclear if he’ll be ready by then. Forbort has been efficient on the kill, to say the least, prior to his Nov. 1 injury.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Linus Ullmark came to play Friday afternoon in every sense of the word.
The Bruins goalie did give up two goals, but he kept the game from getting out of hand several times. That included taking things into his own hands by skating out past the faceoff circles to prevent a Hurricanes breakaway in the second period. You don’t see that often from the goalie, but the Bruins needed any momentum they could get being down by two at that time.
Ullmark made a flurry of spectacular saves in the third period to keep the Hurricanes’ lead at one, but it led to an injury that knocked him from the game with 13:03 left in the game after Connor Clifton fell awkwardly on top of him.
This game easily could have been a blowout by either team, but the goalies played hard and gave their teams a chance to win.
Ullmark ended the afternoon with 28 saves, while Swayman stopped three pucks after coming in for Ullmark.
— Pyotr Kochetkov was stellar for Carolina, especially after the opening draw when the Bruins immediately put a shot on net and had several scoring chances in the opening minutes. This Bruins offense is tough, fast and never gives up, and Kochetkov found that out in the third period when David Krejci tied it for the B’s. The game could have had a very different outcome had Kochetkov not been as strong he was between the pipes. He finished the game with 33 saves.
— We can’t say enough about Krejci, who came to the rescue again for the Bruins, putting them within one with 31 seconds left in the second period when we went top-shelf on Kochetkov. The play wouldn’t have been possible without Pavel Zacha, who created the turnover that led to Krejci’s goal.
Krejci tied it at 2-2 and completely changed the atmosphere at TD Garden. Zacha again assisted as did Foligno, who was in the crease at the time of the goal that originally was waved off for goaltender interference. Foligno clearly was pushed while in the crease and couldn’t do much about what was happening. Those calls seldom are overturned, but the officials got it right, deemed it a goal and just like that, the Bruins were back in it.
Having Krejci back centering the second line after a season in his native Czech Republic has been enormous for the Bruins, who did not have a legitimate second-line center last year. Krejci now has eight goals and nine assists in 18 games.
— We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Zacha, who’s been an incredible fit on this Bruins team since his offseason trade. He’s been great no matter which line he plays on and has strong chemistry with Krejci and David Pastrnak while playing alongside them. He had two assists Friday, bringing his season total to 11.
— David Pastrnak got on the scoresheet in the biggest moment with the game-winning overtime goal.
WAGER WATCH
The Bruins’ moneyline was -155, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. A $155 bet would have you $100 richer. A $100 bet would have you $135 richer. If you were feeling bold, though, and bet on Stefan Nosen at +2000 to be the first goal scorer of the game, you probably are pretty happy right now.
NEXT ON NESN
The Bruins have the next few days off before continuing their homestand Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m. ET and you can catch all the action beginning at 6 p.m. on NESN.
