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Deuces Wild As Bruins Steamroll Devils 5-1: Analysis vs New Jersey

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Unlike in recent games, the Boston Bruins cut off their opponent’s momentum before it really even began with a three-goal third period en route to a 5-1 steamroll of the New Jersey Devils.

Devils forward Blake Coleman had cut the Bruins’ lead to 2-1 with just 1:11 left in the second period and for at least the second intermission, it appeared the Bruins could be on the verge of blowing a lead in the third period for the third time in four games. The Bruins made sure that wouldn’t happen again just 3:19 into the third period as forward David Pastrnak scored his league-leading 19th goal and second of the game to grab the two-goal lead for the Bruins back. Then later in the period defensemen Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Clifton lit the lamp just 3:11 apart and the Bruins slammed the door for their fifth straight game with a point and second win in their last three games.

Those third period goals by Grzelcyk and Pastrnak were the second of the game. Forwards Brad Marchand (three assists) and David Krejci (two assists) also had multi-point nights. Charlie Coyle extended his point streak to five games with an assist on Pastrnak’s second goal and Charlie McAvoy got his third assist in his last two games with the lone helper on Grzelcyk’s second lamplighter.

After losing three straight games, Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask was solid again, making 25 saves for his second straight win.

Deuces Were Wild For Bruins – For the second time this season, the Bruins had two players score two goals apiece. Grzelcyk got his first career two-goal game in the regular season and Pastrnak had his third game this season with two goals or more.

With the two goals Tuesday in New Jersey, Pastrnak not only padded his league lead in goals to three temporarily (Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers were playing at San Jose later in the night), but also became the second-fastest in Bruins history to score 150 goals in his career. Pastrnak now has three goals in his last two games after going two games without lighting the lamp. His first goal was another one from what, like Alexander Ovechkin has become his sweet spot for one-timers.

Meanwhile, Grzelcyk continues to fill in nicely for Torey Krug as the latter missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury. Grzelcyk has been almost seamless making that first outlet pass or rushing the puck out of the Bruins’ zone himself. There’s always been signs that Grzelcyk could be a Krug-like defenseman but no one saw the dangle he undressed Devils defenseman P.K. Subban with coming!

 

Krejci and Marchand helping out – With Patrice Bergeron missing his second straight game with a lower-body injury, Krejci moved up to the top line between Marchand and Pastrnak and once again, he had no problem finding chemistry with the Bruins’ two leading point-getters. With his two helpers Tuesday, Krejci now has a four-game point streak going with six assists during that span, including another two-assist outing last Friday in Toronto.

Marchand continued his Hart Trophy-worthy season with two more assists to give him 22 helpers this season. The chemistry between him and Pastrnak has become almost supernatural as they seem to always know each other’s location and next move.

DeBrusk Locked In For First Game Back

Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk actually looked better than he did in the games leading into the lower-body injury he suffered in Montreal November 5 that kept him out for the last five games. In his first game back from the injury, DeBrusk played 15:17, had three shots and was a plus 1. DeBrusk had his legs going and that kept the Devils on their heels as he and the Bruins entered the zone. DeBrusk has just three goals and three assists in 16 games, but if he can find his game here, the Bruins secondary scoring will get an even bigger boost than they’ve gotten in recent games.

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