3 Stars: Top guns provide lift for win over Blues

The home cooking has been good to the Bruins this season.

And it remained good to ’em on Monday night, as the Bruins improved to 7-0-0 at TD Garden in 2022-23 with a 3-1 victory over Jordan Binnington and the St. Louis Blues.

It was a ‘special’ victory for the B’s, too, as the Bruins began (and ended) their night a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty and went 2-for-2 on the power play to lift themselves over the visiting Blues.

Here are the 98.5 The Sports Hub (dot com) 3 Stars of the B’s latest victory…

No. 3 Star: Brad Marchand

Nov 7, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) and right wing David Pastrnak (88) celebrate a goal by Jake DeBrusk (74) during the first period against the St. Louis Blues. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

Bruins winger Brad Marchand brought his dancing shoes to the rink Monday night, as he dipped, spun, and dazzled all around St. Louis defenders through his 18 minutes and change of time on ice.

Marchand also came through with helpers on both of Boston’s power-play markers in the winning effort, and the Bruins controlled shot attempts by a staggering 18-5 mark during Marchand’s 12:43 of five-on-five ice.

No. 2 Star: Linus Ullmark

Nov 7, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) makes a save on St. Louis Blues center Jordan Kyrou (25) during the second period at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

Another excellent and efficient start from Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark.

In net for a 26-of-27winning performance, Ullmark’s lone blemish came as a result of a defensive-zone communication breakdown between Mike Reilly and Taylor Hall, and the Bruins needed Ullmark (and then some) in the middle frame during the Blues’ surge on the Black and Gold’s net.

Ullmark’s stop on Robert Thomas was an obvious standout, and the Ullmark also came through with a strong denial on a partial breakaway from the Blues’ Jordan Kyrou in the second period.

With Monday’s victory, Ullmark has nine wins on the year and has now tied the franchise record for most wins through his first 10 starts. The other players on that list: Tuukka Rask (2016-17), Gerry Cheevers (1976-77), Ross Brooks (1973-74), and Frank Brimsek (1938-39).

No. 1 Star: Patrice Bergeron

Nov 7, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (37) directs his teammates prior to a face-off during the first period against the St. Louis Blues at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

When the Bruins needed to seal the deal on this one with a go-ahead power-play goal in the third period, it was Patrice Bergeron who ripped the shot through Binnington. Because of course it was Bergeron.

Monday was just your casual normal excellence from No. 37.

Deployed for 16:28 of time on ice, Bergeron paced all Boston shooters with seven shots on goal, and had a forward-leading 2:15 of shorthanded time on ice in a perfect penalty-killing performance.

Bergeron’s line, with Marchand and Jake DeBrusk on the wings, also controlled attempts 15-5, and had an 8-2 edge in scoring chances at five-on-five.