Boston, Mass. –– The drought is finally over. The Boston Bruins have finally broken through against the Detroit Red Wings, riding a three-goals in a span of 4:29 to a 4-1 victory on Saturday.
It didn’t look promising from the start, as they trailed 1-0 after the first 28 minutes of the game. They’d been by far the better team, but a short-handed goal from Red Wings veteran forward Darren Helm remained the only tally of the game from either side.
However, when you’re constantly buzzing around the netminder, things tend to break your way at some point.
At the 8:01 mark of the second period, Charlie McAvoy fired home a wrister from the slot for his second goal of the season. It was a giveaway by the Red Wings’ defense that gave the snakebitten Bruins defenseman a golden opportunity to even the score, and that’s just what McAvoy did; beating Wings’ goalie Jonathan Bernier over the right blocker.
Don't let him get hot! 🔥 @CMcAvoy44 | #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/eySvZRh6YV
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 15, 2020
As Brad Pitt says in “Moneyball,” “When the enemy is making mistakes, don’t interrupt ’em.”
That’s exactly what happened. After McAvoy’s goal, David Krejci found himself in the penalty box for two minutes after committing a hooking penalty on Andreas Athanasiou. Boston made the clear, and the Red Wings decided to go for a change. As a result, it left defenseman Mike Green alone on an island in the corner.
Green was pressured by Brad Marchand, and that pressure led to a giveaway. Marchand found Patrice Bergeron streaking near the right circle, and the Bruins center made a nifty move to put a backhander past Bernier for his 25th tally of the season.
The connection and chemistry between Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron is unmatched. pic.twitter.com/mzmeoRVEpJ
— Alex (@bigbadbruins73) February 15, 2020
The score was now 2-1 Bruins, and both teams had a short-handed goal on the board as well.
Just shy of three minutes later, the Bruins scored again. This one was a bit more controversial as Danton Heinen appeared to get away with a high-stick, setting up a Charlie McAvoy shot from the point that was redirected in by Charlie Coyle (13th goal, five shots on goal today), making the score 3-1 Bruins with 7:30 to go in the second period.
From Weymouth With Love. Charlie Coyle makes it 3-1 Boston #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/W5yYGoHUC0
— Bruins Diehards (@BruinsDiehards) February 15, 2020
That score held true into the second intermission, and it remained that way until (yet another) beautiful dangle by Brad Marchand set up a David Pastrnak goal from the bottom of the left circle. Pastrnak’s goal was his league-leading 42nd, and Marchand’s second assist on the day gives him 50 on the season (73 points).
That was the final goal of the afternoon, and Boston took home the 4-1 victory on the first day of a back-to-back.
Lost in the excitement of the game was that Bruce Cassidy was the beneficiary of his 200th win as an NHL Head Coach and his 153rd at the helm of the Bruins (tied for sixth all-time with Harry Sinden).
The Bruins will be back in action on Sunday to play the Rangers at Madison Square Garden at 3:30 p.m. EST.
