Bruins 18-Game Point Streak Comes To An End Following 3-1 Loss To Ducks
All good things must come to an end as the Boston Bruins’ longest point streak in 49 years comes to an end Tuesday night as they fall to the Anaheim…
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
All good things must come to an end as the Boston Bruins' longest point streak in 49 years comes to an end Tuesday night as they fall to the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 at the TD Garden.
With All-Star Brad Marchand out serving a five game suspension, Anders Bjork was recalled from Providence to skate on the third line with Riley Nash and David Backes. And Danton Heinen held down left winger spot with Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak for the second game in a row.
Entering tonight’s game, the Ducks had won eight straight against the Bruins and the Bruins were riding their longest point streak in 49 years. They now sit 14-1-4 over their last 19 games.
The Bruins struggled in to get things going early in the first. It took them almost seven minutes to finally get their first shot on goal in the game. By the end of the first period, the Bruins were out-shot 15-5 by the Ducks.
A wild occurance of events led to the Ducks taking a 1-0 lead about halfway through the first. While Anton Khudobin is making the initial save on a shot from Cam Fowler, Jakob Silfverberg is taking Zdeno Chara down in front of the net. Now the puck bounces off Chara as he hits the surface and eventually finds the back of net.
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With 6:01 left in the first, Adam Henrique scored his seventh goal in as many games to give the Ducks a 2-0 lead, thanks to a Bruins penalty.
Throughout the first, the Ducks were playing a more physical game, which was leading to a plethora of scoring opportunities. But each team had a chance to go on the power play period, yet it was the Duck who was able to convert on the odd-man advantage against the NHL’s third ranked penalty kill in the Bruins.
It was announced during the second period that Anders Bjork (upper body) would not be returning to the game after taking a series of cross-checks to the back from Francois Beauchemin in the first period.
The NHL’s seventh ranked power play, moved the puck well and found a way to pressure the Ducks and goalie John Gibson on their second power play of the game early in the second, but nothing good came of it.
During the second period, the Bruins were able to create plenty of offensive chances and eventually out-shot the Ducks, 13-to-4.
The Bruins went into the second intermission on the power play following an interference call on Hampus Lindholm, but the Bruins weren’t able to convert after a few decent chances in the offensive zone.
With 7:25 to play in the game, Ducks goalie John Gibson took a shot to the lower abdomen and was forced to leave the game. It was then 15-year veteran Ryan Miller, who ended up taking over for the remainder of the game.
Not long after, Nick Ritchie of the Ducks finishes his hit on David Backes. Backes is then slow to get up, and eventually heads down the tunnel with team trainers. The hit could have been considered "late,” but no penalty was called.
Ryan Getzlaf and Chara get after it with a few jabs with 2:57 to play in the game, but the refs are quick to break it up. Each received matching roughing penalties.
Birthday boy Ryan Spooner (8) scored the Bruins first goal of game with just about a minute left in the game, to help the team avoid a shutout.
In the closing seconds of the game, Henrique slid one down the length of the surface to nail an empty netter to give the Ducks a 3-1 win.
The eventually out-shot the Ducks 13-to-8 in the third, and 31-to-27 over the course of the game.
UP NEXT: The Bruins (29-11-8) welcome the St. Louis Blues (30-18-3) to the TD Garden Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. Catch the call of the game with Judd Sirott and Bob Beers live on 98.5 The Sports Hub with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m.
-- By John 'The Dude' Hardiman, 985TheSportsHub.com
