Matt Grzelcyk Guts It Out For Assist In 5-4 Shootout Win For Bruins

In a gut-check win for the Boston Bruins, Matt Grzelcyk defined guts.

The Boston Bruins won their 2021 home opener at TD Garden Thursday with a dramatic, come-from-behind 5-4 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers. 

This was one of those gut-check wins every team needs and guts is exactly what Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk showed after an awkward collision along the end boards in the second period. The Bruins’ new powerplay quarterback and second pairing point man toughed it out enough to grab an assist in the third period but the Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy chose to rest the puck-moving d-man for overtime and the shootout.

“He was playing through some discomfort,” Cassidy said of Matt Grzelcyk following the Bruins’ first win on home ice. “He wasn’t gonna be able to cover the ice he needed to. He’s had a couple of tough nights now. … Hopefully, there’s no long-term damage there. Doesn’t sound like it.”

After being slew-footed by New York Islanders winger Jordan Eberle in a 1-0 Bruins loss this past Monday and reinjuring a nagging upper-body injury, Matt Grzelcyk practiced Wednesday and got the green light to play in the Bruins first game at TD Garden since March 7, 2020. Grzelcyk was chasing down a puck deep in the Bruins’ zone midway through the second period and as he caught a rut, Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton was bearing down and couldn’t avoid colliding with the Bruins defenseman as he fell into the boards. Grzelcyk’s ankle appeared to twist the wrong way and he struggled to make it to the bench.

Another look at Matt Grzelcyk's awkward collision into the boards. Scary stuff. pic.twitter.com/JzgmCJ3XIc

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) January 22, 2021

Matt Grzelcyk gutted it out and returned though, and eventually assisted on Brandon Carlo’s go-ahead goal at 15:18 of the third period with a beautiful fake shot-pass to his blueline partner for a 4-3 Bruins lead. The Flyers would tie the game though on James van Riemsdyk’s second of the night at 16:28 and the game eventually went to overtime and a shootout. Grzelcyk was unable to take part in either of the extra frames.

Brandon Carlo blows a one timer by Carter Hart and the Bruins have their first lead in 12 years #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/vafrZA3o4k

— Bruins Diehards (@BruinsDiehards) January 22, 2021