Talking Points: Big Guns Lead Boston Bruins to 4-3 OT Win In Game 2

The big guns showed up for the Boston Bruins in Game 2 and helped them tie their first round series with the Washington Capitals at a game apiece with a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2.

Boston Bruins winger Taylor Hall tied the game at three with 2:49 left in regulation and Brad Marchand scored 39 seconds into the extra frame to send the series headed back to Boston knotted at one. Center David Krejci picked up the secondary assist. Earlier in the game, Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron put the B’s up 2-1 9:21 into the first period and winger David Pastrnak picked up the lone assist.

While the Top 6 forward group played a major role after a quiet Game 1, the bottom 6 and specifically, forward Jake DeBrusk showed up again as DeBrusk netted the Bruins’ first goal 5:05 into the first period. Linemates Charlie Coyle and Nick Ritchie picked up the helpers. Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk assisted on Hall’s tying goal and Marchand’s overtime winner. .

Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask was solid in a 3-2 OT loss in Game 1 with 29 saves but he was brilliant in Game 2 with 36 stops.

Garnet Hathaway scored twice for the Capitals and T.J. Oshie lit the lamp as well. Goalie Craig Anderson once again did everything he could to put the Caps up 2-0 in the series with 45 saves.

The series now switches to TD Garden for Game 3 on Wednesday and Game 4 Friday. Both games begin at 6:30 PM ET.

GOLD STAR: Brad Marchand. First off, let’s get it out of the way right now. This puck scribe was all over Marchand throughout regulation as the Hart and Selke Trophy candidate took undisciplined penalties in both the first and second period. However, while a sucker-punch to Capitals defenseman Brenden Dillon’s family jewels and a stick to the head of Caps winger Anthony Mantha as Mantha was being held back by the referees was reminiscent of the Hyde rather than the Jekyll Marchand, it appears that the Bruins alternate captain had a plan. He walked the line and when all was said and done he was on the right side of that line of being disciplined and yet a pain in the ass to his opponent.

BRAD MARCHAND WITH AN ABSOLUTE MISSILE TO END IT🥵 pic.twitter.com/mkw7cbLpB7

— NESN (@NESN) May 18, 2021

“We didn’t start on time and Brad really dragged us into the fight tonight,” Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassisy said in the postgame Zoom call with the media. “He and Bergeron both. In the past a night like tonight might have taken him out of his game, but that obviously didn’t happen in this one.”

BLACK EYE: Parade to the penalty box. As mentioned above regarding Marchand, the Boston Bruins as a whole, once again lacked discipline in this game. They gave the Capitals’ lethal powerplay four chances and while at least one call was questionable, the Bruins seemed to be chancing fate a little too much in Game 2.

TURNING POINT: Hall’s game-tying goal with 2:49 left in regulation. To say Taylor Hall is making Don Sweeney look like a genious for acquiring him and Curtis lazar for Anders Bjork and a 2022 second round draft pick, is an understatement right now. Hall continued his comeback story with a complete game and was rewarded for his hard work with the game-tying goal.

Hallsy coming up clutch.#NHLBruins | @hallsy09 pic.twitter.com/E6rbtdkVih

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 18, 2021

Following the game Hall once again credited the culture in around the Boston Bruins for his resurgence.

“There’s an aura about the team. Nobody is tight,” Hall said. “When the bullets start flying it’s easier to be composed when you’ve been like that all day, and all week.”

HONORABLE MENTION: Charlie McAvoy. McAvoy is a dark horse candidate for the Norris Trophy, likely finishing in the Top 5 in voting. In Game 2, he showed why as he led all Boston Bruins players in TOI with 26:49. He was a plus 4 with five shots and five hits. He was everywhere each time he stepped on the ice and with his mentor, Zdeno Chara, on the opposing team, once again showed that the Bruins blue line is now his.

BY THE NUMBERS: 41. The number of faceoffs won by the Boston Bruins as they beat the Capitals 41-24 at the dot. Patrice Bergeron went 18-11 and David Krejci was 10-4. That was huge in generating scoring chances and also making the Capitals constantly adjust on the fly.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “He doesn’t weigh very much and I’ve been lifting a lot lately.” – Boston Bruins winger Taylor Hall on Brad Marchand leaping into the bench and his arms after the OT winner.

HUG ME BROTHAAAAAAAAA@Bmarch63 | @hallsy09 pic.twitter.com/4PzxFpF9OW

— NESN (@NESN) May 18, 2021