Bruins collapse in third period, fall to Jets by 6-2 final
The Boston Bruins lost their second straight game on Thursday night, by a 6-2 final to the Winnipeg Jets. Thursday marked the first time all season that the B’s allowed at least six goals in consecutive games, as goaltender Joonas Korpisalo stopped only 22-of-227 Jets shots (.815).
The Jets lifted off to an early 1-0 lead when Vladislav Namestnikov cleaned up a rebound with a backhand through Korpisalo during a power play. They momentarily thought they had a second goal minutes later, but the Bruins successfully challenged for offside to take it off the board.
Winnipeg took a 2-0 lead anyway later in the first period, when Mark Scheifele tipped in a long-distance shot by Neal Pionk. Bruins captain Brad Marchand cut the deficit in half late in the first, with a laser of a shot from the faceoff circle through Vezina favorite Connor Hellebuyck.
After battling through a scoreless second period, the Bruins finally found the equalizer just 11 seconds into the third period – and during a penalty kill. The B’s generated an early shot on goal to force an offensive zone faceoff, then Elias Lindholm scored right off the draw to tie it 2-2.
Unfortunately, the tie was very short-lived, as the Jets answered just 24 seconds later with Scheifele’s second goal of the game to go back up at 3-2. Just 42 seconds after that, Nikolaj Ehlers scored by knocking the puck off the stick of Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei and right into the Bruins net, marking a brutal blunder by the young blue liner.
Rhode Island native Parker Ford, playing in his first career NHL game, scored his first career goal later in the third to make it 5-2. Kyle Connor smacked home an empty-netter off a neutral-zone puck battle to make it 6-2, and that would be the final score.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have a chance to pass the Bruins in the second Eastern Conference wild card spot when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights out west on Thursday night.
Up Next: The Bruins will try to right the ship with another home game on Saturday, when they take on the New York Rangers at TD Garden.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.