The Bruins may have seen their five-game winning streak snapped Wednesday night in Boston, but more importantly, they made sure that it didn’t turn to a losing streak Thursday night in Ottawa.
And there’s something to be said for that, all things considered.
In addition to Thursday looking like a potential trap game when you consider Ottawa’s status as the cellar dweller in the Atlantic Division (and the fact that they are playing better for new head coach Jacques Martin), the Bruins were entering the night with some question marks from a health standpoint. Oh, and then the Bruins found themselves on an absolutely wild penalty discrepancy, with six power-play opportunities for the Sens compared to just one for Boston.
It was enough for Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery to say that the Bruins didn’t dodge one bullet, but eight.
No. 3 Star: Brad Marchand
Jan 25, 2024; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) sets up for a face-off in the second period against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers/USA TODAY Sports)
For the fourth game in a row, Bruins captain Brad Marchand found the back of the net with at least one goal. But for the first time over that four-game run (and for the first time since Dec. 3), Marchand was credited with the game-winning goal, and with this one coming in the overtime frame.
THE CAPTAIN‼️
— NHL (@NHL) January 26, 2024
Brad Marchand buries the @Energizer overtime winner for the @NHLBruins. 🐻 pic.twitter.com/nF9qdnckPFThe goal put a capper on a night that included one hit and three shots on goal, and gave Marchand the 19th overtime goal of his NHL career. Marchand is tied with Alex Ovechkin for the most in the NHL on that front since Marchand broke into the league as a full-timer in 2010-11.
No. 2 Star: David Pastrnak
Dec 27, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) during a stoppage in play against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports)
The Bruins went over 17 minutes without a shot on goal in the first period of play. 17 minutes!
But at the end of the first, that didn’t really matter, as David Pastrnak ended that drought with a power-play bomb scored through Joonas Korpisalo just a couple of seconds into Boston’s power-play opportunity.
David Pastrnak strikes on the power play.
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) January 26, 2024
31 goals on the season.
1-0 Bruins. pic.twitter.com/nOROW09wSeBut Pastrnak wasn’t done there, as he also collected the secondary helper on Trent Frederic’s second-period strike to put the Bruins up by two. Overall, it was Pastrnak’s 24th multi-point night of the season.
No. 1 Star: Jeremy Swayman
Jan 25, 2024; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a save in front of Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) in the third period at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers/USA TODAY Sports)
The recent hot run for the Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman did not come to an end Thursday night in Ottawa, with Swayman on the board with yet another win, this time by way of a 35-of-37 performance.
Swayman started strong, too, with nine saves on as many shots in the opening 20 minutes of play. He also remained strong over the following two periods and an overtime session, with stops on all but two of the 28 shots he faced. Swayman was a perfect 29-for-29 at even-strength play, and also found himself beat on two of Ottawa’s six thousand power-play opportunities by the night’s end.
Swayman has now rattled off five straight victories, and has posted a .944 save percentage over that stretch, with saves on 136 of the 144 shots he’s faced over that span.
