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BHN Talking Points

Talking Points: Boston Bruins Finish Strong in Win Over Devils

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Matt Grzelcyk

BOSTON – Here are the Talking Points from the Boston Bruins 5-4 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden on Tuesday night.

GOLD STAR: David Krejci has noticeably stepped up his game over the last week or two and the shootout win over the Devils was no different. Krejci finished with three assists, including the offensive zone face-off win late in the third period that set up Matt Grzelcyk’s game-tying goal, and was creating plays while taking pucks hard to the net. He only finished with one shot on net on the score sheet, but he was generating offense and making things happen early in setting up a Nick Ritchie goal in the first period, and then doing it late with the helper on the game-tying play. Krejci finished with three assists and a plus-2 rating in 21:13 of ice time, had three shot attempts, a hit and two takeaways while winning 8-of-15 draws in the victory. For a guy that was missing 5-on-5 for long stretches of the first few months, he’s been noticeable at even strength as of late.

BLACK EYE: The Boston Bruins survived it, but Jeremy Lauzon had a rough night with breaking the puck out of the defensive zone. Some mistakes loomed larger than other, but none was worse than his turnover after a D-zone faceoff win where he put the puck right on Kyle Palmieri’s tape in the slot. Palmieri easily beat Jaroslav Halak after the gift from Lauzon and that put the Black and Gold down by a couple of goals in the third period. It also resulted in Lauzon hitting the pine for a bit as well. He managed to finish with an even plus/minus rating and still topped 19 minutes of ice time for the game, but it was a growing pains kind of game for some of the younger players against the New Jersey Devils. Lauzon was definitely high on that list.

TURNING POINT: The Boston Bruins essentially decided they weren’t going to lose again to the New Jersey Devils when it got to the third period. They outshot the Devils by a 19-9 margin and scored a pair of goals to tie up the game, including the Matt Grzelcyk game-tying strike that arrived in the final few minutes of regulation. Then they dominated much of the overtime session as well until a penalty was called on the B’s giving the Devils a rare overtime power play. Given the way they played in the final 25 minutes of the game, it was fitting they were able to push things into the shootout and eventually take it with a couple of nifty goals from Charlie Coyle and David Pastrnak.

HONORABLE MENTION: Charlie McAvoy has enjoyed some tremendously dominant games this season and Tuesday night’s performance against New Jersey certainly goes into that category. McAvoy scored on the rebound of a long-distance Craig Smith shot to get the Bruins engines revved for a comeback in the third period. But it was way more than the goal. McAvoy was creating offensive chances for himself and his Bruins teammates throughout the entire game and dominated for the 27 plus minutes that he was out there during the game. McAvoy finished with six shots on net, eight shot attempts, a hit and two blocked shots and also shook off a nasty blast off his left ankle that forced him back into the dressing room for a couple of minutes. McAvoy was every bit the No. 1 defenseman for the Bruins and a big part of their victory.

BY THE NUMBERS: 499 – the number of career assists for David Krejci after notching the three helpers in Tuesday night’s win. Krejci will join Wayne Cashman, Patrice Bergeron, Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Johnny Bucyk, and Ray Bourque in that exclusive Bruins club when he notches that next assist.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “I’m lukewarm on it.” –Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy on his choice of a bow tie attire choice behind the bench. The color, of course, was in going with the Hockey Fights Cancer theme, but Cassidy said it was the first time he’s ever worn one in his life.

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