Bruins Postgame: Bruins Avoid Overtime, Beat Knights 5-4

The Boston Bruins narrowly avoided another overtime and held on for a 5-4 regulation win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night at TD Garden.

The Bruins blew another third period lead, allowing the Vegas Golden Knights to tie the game at four 5:01 into the third period, but a Mason Lohrei powerplay goal with 4:37 left in regulation and a late penalty kill preserved the win and snapped a three-game winless streak. The Bruins also snapped a seven-game overtime streak in the process.

Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Bruins Postgame:

CLUTCH: Boston Bruins forward Morgan Geekie picked a great game to get his first NHL hat trick. Geekie scored two goals in 2:20, with a Jesper Boqvist goal sandwiched in between, to help put the Bruins up 3-0 at the first intermission. After the Golden Knights cut the lead to a 3-2 lead 6:57 into the second period, Geekie grabbed back the two-goal lead with his third goal of the game at 16:32 of the middle frame.

Morgan Geekie's got his first career hat trick! 🎩🎩🎩@NHLBruins | #NHLBruins | #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/Yizsl5lZ4g

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) March 1, 2024

DOGHOUSE: The Boston Bruins continue to sit back when they gain a lead. The Bruins scored three goals in 2:20 to take a 3-0 lead at the 16:54 mark of the first period and into the first intermission. It appeared they had finally found their groove again, but then they sat back again to start the second period. Before they knew it, that 3-0 lead had evaporated, and they were up 3-2 after the Golden Knights scored two goals in 5:09.

To the Bruins’ credit, they withheld that push by Vegas and went up 4-2 on Geekie’s third goal at 16:32, but just 1:14 later, Golden Knights forward Michael Amadio lit the lamp, and the Bruins went into the second intermission up 4-3. They were also out-shot 15-7 in the middle frame.

The Bruins then allowed the Golden Knights to tie the game at four on a Chandler Stephenson shorthanded goal 5:01 into the final frame.

BANGER: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy continues to play Norris Trophy-caliber hockey. McAvoy was a physical force as he led all skaters with a whopping eight hits. He also had three shots and one blocked shot in 26:45 TOI.

UNSUNG HERO: David Pastrnak was the unsung hero until the third period. The Bruins superstar winger had two assists in the first two periods but he also coughed up the puck on the Chandler Stephenson shorthanded goal that tied the game at four. That’s why Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman gets the nod here. As he tends to do for Pastrnak and the whole team so many times, Swayman saved their bacon again down the stretch. He was huge on a late penalty kill and stopped Stephenson in the final minute to preserve the win and finish with 32 saves.

NEXT UP: The Boston Bruins head back on the road for a two-game road trip that starts against the New York Islanders on Saturday night and then concludes against the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Monday night. The Bruins then come right home to host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

Boston Bruins Lineup

Forwards

Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – David Pastrnak

James van Riemsdyk – Pavel Zacha – Jake DeBrusk

Danton Heinen – Morgan Geekie – Trent Frederic

Jakub Lauko – Jesper Boqvist – Justin Brazeau

Defensemen

Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy

Mason Lohrei – Brandon Carlo

Parker Wotherspoon – Kevin Shattenkirk

Goalies

Jeremy Swayman

Linus Ullmark