Bruins can’t recover from slow start, drop 5-2 game in Calgary
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
Tuukka Rask and the Boston Bruins surrendered three goals in 20 minutes, had a goal of their own called back thanks to a successfully challenge from Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters, and never quite recovered in a 5-2 loss on Wednesday.
For the Bruins, the first period featured a mix of turnovers galore in all three zones (a theme for the night if there was one), as well as two absolutely regrettable goals surrendered by Rask within a 48-second span, the second of which had legitimately no reason or excuse to be surrendered at that point of the game and with the Bruins already trailing by two goals.
Despite the three-goal deficit, the Bruins were not dead in the middle period, as Patrice Bergeron came through with his sixth goal of the season, scored on a beautiful spin-o-rama and immediately after a successfully 5-on-3 penalty kill by the Bruins.
Bergy's spin-o-rama got us on the board early in the second.#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/skRI5dyLdG
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 18, 2018
But Michael Frolik capitalized on a David Pastrnak turnover just 52 seconds later and pushed Calgary’s edge back to three.
The Frolik goal against was doubly painful for the Bruins, as it also came with the Flames controlling the pace of play from that point onward, and without the Bruins capitalizing on chances they did create against Flames netminder Mike Smith, even after a late-period goal from Brad Marchand brought the Bruins back within two by the period’s end.
Beginning the third period with 58 seconds of a five-on-three advantage, the Bruins responded with not a single shot against Smith, and finished the third period with just eight shots on net before Matt Tkachuk’s empty-netter sealed the deal on a loss.
Rask, who made some stellar saves but long after the deficit was too deep, finished the night with stops on 24 of 28 shots behind a B’s team “credited” with 17 giveaways by the final horn. The Boston power play, meanwhile, finished a woeful 0-for-4.
The Bruins will look to get back on track with a quick turnaround of a Thursday night meeting with the Edmonton Oilers.
Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. He has also been a voting member of the Boston Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association since 2013. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Ty? Follow him on Twitter @_TyAnderson.
