The Bruins embraced a playoff-style hockey game in Nashville on Tuesday.
In a tie game late in the third period, the B’s scored three late goals to defeat the Predators 3-0, thanks to Linus Ullmark’s 32-save shutout.
The victory allowed the B’s to take a four-point lead over the Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division race.
Ullmark was outstanding, but he didn’t steal the game. The B’s played well throughout the game and deserved the win.
Ullmark praised the team's effort, stating, “It was a great job. We battled all 60 minutes. We knew it was going to be a tough game, but we really went to work.”
The competition for the Game 1 starter for the playoffs continued. Last week, Jeremy Swayman beat the Panthers and then performed well in overtime to defeat the Capitals in a shootout. However, since the trade deadline, Ullmark has a record of 4-2 with a .950 save percentage.
“Every game is a new challenge,” Ullmark commented. “It doesn’t matter what you did last game or the game before. It’s all about looking forward, performing, and focusing on the process without getting too carried away with results-based thinking. It’s been working well lately in that department. I have a lot of confidence with the team, and we feed off each other.”
In Washington on Saturday, the B’s successfully killed a four-minute penalty to survive overtime and reach the shootout. On Tuesday, the PK (4-for-4) broke the tie.
With 6:42 left in regulation, Charlie Coyle broke the scoreless tie with a beautiful shorthanded goal. With Mason Lohrei in the penalty box for hooking, Ullmark seized a loose puck behind the net and sent it up the glass for Brad Marchand to chase down. Marchand held the puck at the left point, attracting a Nashville checker, and then passed to Coyle for the clean break-in. Coyle scored his 24th goal of the year over Juuse Saros’ glove.
After a determined defense in their own zone, the B’s secured an insurance goal with 2:42 left. David Pastrnak carried the puck out of the defensive zone, took it in deep, and passed to Danton Heinen at the side of the net. Heinen then found Pavel Zacha for an open net goal.
The Preds pulled Saros, but the Bruins remained calm, and Pastrnak finished with an empty net goal.
Coach Jim Montgomery praised the team, saying, “What a great play by Brad Marchand, our captain. Great goal by Charlie. After that, I thought we played with a lot of composure. I thought we were very well organized coming out of our own end. I liked our second and third effort, and obviously I liked the way we sealed the game.”
The first period was an entertaining, up-and-down 20 minutes of scoreless hockey in which the B’s outshot the Preds, 11-6. Despite the back-and-forth nature of the action, it was also a well-defended contest.
Both teams had one power play each and both had great chances to take the lead in the first period. The B’s best opportunity was during a strong penalty kill when Charlie McAvoy created a breakaway for himself at the blue line. Juuse Saros made a blocker save, but the breakaway foreshadowed future events. Pastrnak also had four shots on net in the first period (seven in the game).
Ullmark also had to make a couple of important saves. The first one was a good stop on Luke Evangelista, who skated through the slot to get a good shooting angle. An even better save came later in the period when Gus Nyquist passed to Ryan O’Reilly for a quick shot from the low slot that Ullmark blocked.
The B’s suffered a significant loss late in the period when Justin Brazeau had to leave the game after being hit by Luke Schenn in an open ice play, resulting in a roughing penalty for the Nashville defenseman. Brazeau, who had been a standout as a big puck-protecting winger with scoring ability since being called up from Providence, left the ice holding his right arm and immediately went to the dressing room. There was no immediate update on his condition, but he did not return.
The game remained scoreless through two periods – amazingly so, from a Bruins perspective.
The Preds received a power play at 14:19 when Jake DeBrusk was called for interference after bumping Kiefer Sherwood during a puck pursuit.
The B’s did a good job of penalty killing again until late in the man advantage when it looked like Nashville would score. As Ullmark got tangled up with Hampus Lindholm and a Predator at the right side of the net, Evangelista passed to Norris Trophy candidate Roman Josi at the inside of the left circle and, with a wide open net in front of him, the Nashville captain hit the near post.
Nashville put the B’s back on the power play at 17:22 when Cole Smith high-sticked Kevin Shattenkirk, but the B’s did not capitalize on the opportunity and the game went to the third period tied at 0-0.
The Preds (16-2-2 in their previous 20 games) appeared to have some momentum after outshooting the B’s, 12-6, in the second period. But, on this night, the Bruins made the crucial plays down the stretch for the hard-earned win.
