The Boston Bruins rose to the occasion Saturday afternoon and broke the Pittsburgh Penguins five-game winning streak. After a 4-1 loss to the Penguins on Thursday, several of the Bruins top scorers took matters into their own hands. The shuffling of lines spread the offensive skill throughout the lineup and the Bruins managed to win 7-5.
Game Summary
The Penguins Mark Jankowski netted the only goal of the first period.
🚨GOAL🚨
Jankowski tipped Matheson’s point shot to the back of the cage to put the #LetsGoPens ahead.#NHLBruins 0#LetsGoPens 1 pic.twitter.com/l2jvIdaO3Q
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
At the end of the first period, the Bruins had six scoring chances compared to the Penguins five. Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy spoke on the Bruins first intermission locker room talk in his post-game press conference.
Going into the second period, the Bruins came out of the locker room with intensity. Patrice Bergeron was able to net the equalizer 11 seconds into the start of the period.
🚨GOAL🚨
Bergeron ties it up 11 seconds into the second!#NHLBruins 1#LetsGoPens 1 pic.twitter.com/M278Uwb3jf
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
Just 34 seconds later after Bergeron’s goal, David Pastrnak was gifted by Nick Ritchie’s big body being out front of the net. A shot from the point hit Ritchie and with the perfect bounce, it went on Pastrnak’s blade to make it 2-1 Bruins.
🚨GOAL🚨
Pastrnak gives the #NHLBruins the lead just 34 seconds after Bergeron’s tying goal.#NHLBruins 2#LetsGoPens 1 pic.twitter.com/cKbJnnNTLE
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
Just two minutes after Pastrnak’s goal the Penguins scored at 2:45 into the second. Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzal tied it up with a quick snapshot off a beautiful saucer pass from Sidney Crosby.
🚨GOAL🚨
Guentzal ties it up for the #LetsGoPens.#NHLBruins 2#LetsGoPens 2 pic.twitter.com/zHIYGoFXk7
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
At 5:11 into the second period, the Penguins took the lead on the power-play. A beautiful connection of passes led to Jared McCann tapping it in on the backdoor to put the Penguins up 3-2.
🚨GOAL🚨
McCann gives the #LetsGoPens a one goal lead on the power play. #NHLBruins 2#LetsGoPens 3 pic.twitter.com/HCb53s8uPC
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
Deeper into the second, at 5:04 left in the period, Brad Marchand continued his fantastic season, netting his 15th goal on the year.
🚨GOAL🚨
Marchand buries the tying goal for the #NHLBruins!#NHLBruins 3#LetsGoPens 3 pic.twitter.com/YKYkpY01n3
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
The Bruins then went on a late second period tear. With 1:31 left in the second, David Krejci finished a beautiful setup on the power play to put the Bruins up by one.
🚨GOAL🚨
Some beautiful puck movement on the power play results in Krejci putting the #NHLBruins up one!#NHLBruins 4#LetsGoPens 3 pic.twitter.com/zi1x13oyZx
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
With 20 seconds left on the clock, Brad Marchand made another net-front cut and netted his second of the game, this time coming from Craig Smith.
🚨GOAL🚨
Marchand extends the #NHLBruins lead! #NHLBruins 5#LetsGoPens 3 pic.twitter.com/DJSUuV3yJX
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
After scoring five goals in the second period, the Bruins shifted the momentum of the game into their favor and led 5-3 going into the third. At 4:38 into the third, the Penguins shook off the rust of the second and Cody Ceci put the Penguins within one of the Bruins.
🚨GOAL🚨
Ceci makes it a one goal game for the #LetsGoPens.#NHLBruins 5#LetsGoPens 4 pic.twitter.com/6zJPuVNAND
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
After some crispy encounters and bumps after the whistle throughout the middle of the second, David Pastrnak decided to snipe Casey DeSmith’s top right corner with 6:32 left in the third, putting the Bruins up 6-4.
🚨GOAL🚨
Ritchie sets Pastrnak up for a snipe to extend the #NHLBruins lead!#NHLBruins 6#LetsGoPens 4 pic.twitter.com/iuYOfQpwpe
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
Then with 1:15 left on the clock, Sidney Crosby wanted to give his team a chance in this game. Crosby sent a pass on the net and it was able to leak through Jaroslav Halak.
🚨GOAL🚨
Crosby leaks one through Halak on a short handed rush to put the #LetsGoPens within one.#NHLBruins 6#LetsGoPens 5 pic.twitter.com/NgPK21pC08
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
In the remaining 1:15, the Penguins were granted a four-minute power-play after Patrice Bergeron’s high sticking on Sydney Crosby.
Hoping Sidney Crosby is ok after this 🙏 pic.twitter.com/EA4sR87BRn
— Evan Marinofsky (@EvanMarinofsky) April 3, 2021
The Penguins pulled Casey DeSmith and had hopes of tying the game up. Brad Marchand had other plans, he wanted an easy third goal to secure a hat trick. Marchand netted an empty netter to put the Bruins up 7-5.
🚨GOAL🚨
🧢🧢🧢
Marchand secures the hat trick on this empty netter.#NHLBruins 7#LetsGoPens 5 pic.twitter.com/2fiTPz8KQE
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS) April 3, 2021
End Result: 7-5 Bruins win
Bruins Post Game Reactions
The Bruins new lines were instilled in the middle of Thursday’s game with the Penguins.
Offense:
Marchand-Bergeron-Smith
Ritchie-Krejci-Pastrnak
Bjork-Kuraly-Coyle
Frederic-Studnicka-Senyshyn
Defense:
Grzelcyk-McAvoy
Zboril-Kampfer
Tinordi-Clifton
Although the Bruins lost that one 4-1, the offensive generation was there Saturday for the top six Bruins forwards. Patrice Bergeron (1 G), Charlie Coyle(1 A), David Krejci(1 G,1 A), Brad Marchand(3 G,1 A), David Pastrnak (2 G, 1A), Nick Ritchie(2 A), and Craig Smith(2 A) all appeared on the stat sheet Saturday afternoon after difficulty scoring five-on-five and on the power play in the past.
Here’s the dressing room reaction to the win.
David Pastrnak:
David Krejci:
Brad Marchand:
