Bruins Postgame: Bruins Blow It Again in 5-4 OT Loss To Kings

The Boston Bruins blew two third period leads and are now winless in their last four games after a 5-4 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday afternoon.

The Boston Bruins probably can’t wait to get out on the road next week because TD Garden has been a house of horrors on their current seven-game homestand. This loss dropped the Bruins to 1-3-2 on the homestand, with their only win coming on Feb. 8 when they beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-0.

Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Postgame:

CLUTCH: Rookie Kings defenseman Brandt Clarke picked a perfect time to score his first-ever NHL goal. Right after his teammates killed off his hooking penalty 2:24 into overtime, Clarke took a feed from Kings and former Montreal Canadiens forward Phillip Danault, broke in alone, and beat Ullmark to give the Kings the win with 29 ticks left in the extra frame.

BRANDT CLARKE OUT OF THE BOX WINS IT WITH HIS FIRST NHL GOAL ‼️

Clarke scores the @SUBWAYCanada OT clincher to win it for the Kings! pic.twitter.com/WVfCXB5APm

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 17, 2024

Clarke also assisted on Gavrikov’s goal 16:38 into the second period and finished the game with three shots and three blocked shots.

DOGHOUSE: If you read me here, follow me on X, or listen to me on The Eye Test (4-5 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday), then you know that I have been advocating that the Boston Bruins need to acquire a rugged, Adam McQuaid-like defenseman to start clearing bodies out in front of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Alex Laferriere’s goal that tied the game at three 5:51 into the third period was the perfect example of why Sweeney needs to go out and get such a player.

Someone (Alex Laferriere) in a Kings sweater found the loose puck amidst the chaos in front 😅 pic.twitter.com/JgDgebjP72

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 17, 2024

BANGER: Trent Frederic had gone pointless in his last five games, and, even more glaring, he was not his trademark physical self as of late. That all changed on Saturday as the 6-foot-3, 223-pound winger got the Gordie Howe hat-trick. Frederic assisted on van Riemsdyk’s goal 8:03 into the first period, and then just under three minutes later, Frederic dropped the gloves with Kings defenseman Andreas Englund just after the Kings tied the game at one on a goal by defenseman Matt Roy.

Trent Frederic and Andreas Englund broke away from the scrum and started throwing 'em 😳 pic.twitter.com/xhdT8GrdHB

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 17, 2024

Fast-forward to the third period and the Bruins needed a spark again after Kings forward Alex Leferriere tied the game at three 7:12 into the third period. Once again, Frederic provided that spark, and this time he did it with the go-ahead goal to make it 4-3 Bruins just 1:21 after Leferriere’s goal.

GORDIE HOWE HATTY FOR TRENT FREDERIC 🚨👊 pic.twitter.com/sAC63yF1o7

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 17, 2024

Frederic also finished the game with six hits and was an absolute beast throughout.

UNSUNG HERO: I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been one of the many who have been highly critical of Los Angeles Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois. For all the Kings gave up for him in that big trade with the Winnipeg Jets last summer, he has not been worth it so far, and he’s running out of head coaches to blame. However, I will always give credit when or where it’s due, and it’s due for Dubois after his performance on Saturday. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound pivot had one of his best games this season as he assisted on Gavrikov’s goal 16:38 into the second period to make it 3-2 Bruins and then again on Laferriere’s goal that tied the game at three 5:51 into the third period. Dubois also added four shots, five hits and one blocked shot.

NEXT UP: The Boston Bruins play the final game of their seven-game homestand and host the Dallas Stars in a 1 p.m. ET President’s Day matinee at TD Garden. Prior to the game, the Bruins will hold a ceremony honoring Brad Marchand playing in his 1,000th game this past Tuesday.

Boston Bruins Lineup

Forwards

Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – Danton Heinen

Jake DeBrusk — Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak

James van Riemsdyk – Morgan Geekie – Trent Frederic

Anthony Richard – Jesper Boqvist – Jakub Lauko

Defensemen

Matt Grzelcyk-Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort-Kevin Shattenkirk

Goalies

Linus Ullmark

Jeremy Swayman

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