Game 10 Live Blog: Boston Bruins Vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Here’s your BHN Five Thoughts the second period with the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers tied at one:

Here’s Five Thoughts the second period with the Boston Bruins up 1-0 on the Philadelphia Flyers:

1. Perfection Line Is Buzzing

The Boston Bruins top line of Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak has been dominant tonight. Bergeron has an assist, one shot and one blocked shot in 12:26 TOI; Marchand has one shot, one blocked shot and is a plus in 13:46 and Pastrnak a goal on four shots and one hit in 12:39. What’s been so impressive about this line tonight hasn’t just been its offense. They have been absolutely suffocating out there on the forecheck and in turn that has worked the Flyers hard and forcing them to take long shifts. 

2. ‘The Dot’ Kid Creates Havoc And Scores

Dorchester, MA native and former Boston College star Kevin Hayes got the Flyers back into the game in the second period. He was forcing turnovers, playing physical and creating chances, and 15:29 into the middle frame that hard work paid off as Hayes sniped one just off the glove hand of Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask to tie the game at one. Travis Sanheim and Philippe Myers grabbed the helpers. 

The play started because Hayes was able to break Charlie McAvoy’s stick on a slash and send the Boston Bruins defenseman and the Bruins scrambling. Charlie Coyle got his stick to McAvoy but it was too late as Sanheim found Hayes in front for the goal. 

Not called a slash. Kevin Hayes scored later in the shift. pic.twitter.com/vV1kT6DeHR

— Evan Marinofsky (@emarinofsky) February 4, 2021

3. Goalie Duel Going On

Tuukka Rask and Carter Hart are engaged in a good old-fashioned goalie duel. Rask was brilliant in the first period stopping all eight shots he faced and if not for Pastrnak undressing Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, it’s probably 0-0 after the first. The Flyers clearly fed off Hart who shut the door in the first ten minutes of the second before the Flyers started to gain momentum. Hart stopped all 13 shots from the Bruins in the middle frame and Rask stopped ten of 11 Flyers shots.

4. Bruins Need To Get Powerplay Going Again

One of the Bruins’ areas of focus in practice Tuesday was the powerplay which head coach Bruce Cassidy said was a ‘bit stagnant’ in the last two games. The Bruins have 35 seconds left on their current powerplay and this would be a great time to get it going as they could seize the lead and momentum back early in the third.

5. First Place Is On The Line!

If the Bruins can pull this game out, they will overtake the Flyers and Capitals for first place in the East. Gotta give them credit, with the inexperienced defense and losing their captain I didn’t envision this start ten games in. As my partner in crime, Joe Haggerty pointed out in his column tonight though, that youth on the blue line has been a major reason for their early success!