Bruins rally in third for win over Sharks
In a season already full of frustrating-beyond-belief losses, the first 40 minutes of Monday’s head-to-head with the Sharks had the Bruins lined up for what would’ve been the worst one yet.
Knotted up at 2-2, but going to the power play after Cody Ceci tripped David Pastrnak, the Bruins absolutely pummeled San Jose netminder Yaroslav Askarov for 12 shot attempts in a span of 2:23. But be it because of the Bruins missing the net or Askarov standing tall, a third Boston goal could not be found off a Bruin stick. But after a Parker Wotherspoon giveaway sparked San Jose the other way, Fabian Zetterlund collected his own rebound and potted the goal to put the Sharks up 3-2.
It was as brutal a gut-punch as the Bruins have absorbed this season — and that’s certainly saying something — and put the club down by one through two periods of play.
But powered by four third-period goals, including two from Charlie Coyle, the Bruins turned that body blow into a combo the other way and avoided disaster by way of a 6-3 win over the Sharks at TD Garden.
In goal, Joonas Korpisalo came through with a 25-save performance for his first win since Dec. 21 against the Sabres. It was a definite up and down kind of afternoon from Korpisalo, but he certainly did his part to hang in there and came through with a perfect 8-for-8 effort in the third period. Korpisalo’s best save of the third period came with his club down a man, too, as he sprawled out and had a glove save on San Jose’s Colin Graf with just over seven minutes remaining in a then-tied game.
Prior to Coyle’s third-period takeover, Boston’s goals in opening 27 minutes of play came from Vinni Lettieri and David Pastrnak. Lettieri’s goal, which opened things up at the 9:21 mark of the first period, was his second in three games since being called up to the B’s last week.
Pastrnak’s tally, meanwhile, came on the power play and off a favorable bounce off a Shark and into the goal, and gave Pastrnak goals in four straight contests.
While defenseman Charlie McAvoy remained out of action for his third straight absence, B’s forward Trent Frederic also missed this game, with Frederic ruled out due to an illness.
The Bruins will get back to work Wednesday night in New Jersey against the Devils.