Boston Bruins
Bruins Postgame: Sleepy Bruins Lose 3-2 To Flyers
On a dreary day in the City of Love and throughout the northeast on Saturday, the Boston Bruins picked the wrong time to take a Saturday nap.
A late wake-up call for the Bruins wasn’t enough in a frustrating 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
If not for goalie Linus Ullmark (26 saves), the Bruins would’ve been humiliated in front of the rocking 18,623 fans at the Wells Fargo Center in the 1 p.m. ET matinee. That allowed the Bruins to be trailing by just a goal heading into the third period. Arguably the only skater who seemed awake for the Bruins, Justin Brazeau, scored his fourth goal in three games to tie the game 10:19 into the third period, but just under five minutes later, Flyers forward Travis Konecny scored his second goal of the game, and 30th of the season at 15:16 of the final frame to put the Flyers ahead 2-1.
Just 57 seconds later, though, Bruins forward Danton Heinen tied the game at two. After making an amazing save on Owen Tippett to preserve that tie with 2:15 left in the game, Ullmark allowed what proved to be the game-winner by Flyers forward Tyson Foerester.
Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Bruins Postgame:
CLUTCH: Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny may be one of the most underrated players in the NHL right now. On Saturday, he once again reminded the NHL media and fans just how good he is. Konecny scored two goals and finished the game with two shots, one hit, and one blocked shot in 18:53.
30th GOAL OF THE SEASON FOR TRAVIS KONECNY
— Nasty Knuckles (@NastyKnuckles) March 23, 2024
DOGHOUSE: If you visit this site often enough, you’ll realize that I try my hardest not to pile on the officiating. NHL referees are having arguably their worst season in recent memory, with plenty of seemingly missed calls and not enough consistency. Unfortunately, though, people are too quick to react and blast the referees before a.) putting themselves in the skates of a ref and b.) watching the replay more closely to formulate an accurate reaction. That being said, there are just some mistakes that are blatantly obvious right away, and on that note, we give this sequence of events:
Brad Marchand was FURIOUS about the non-call and received an unsportsmanlike penalty instead 😅 pic.twitter.com/111d3Jxbvx
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 23, 2024
Yours truly was texting with a former NHL referee during the second period and even he agreed that this was an egregious missed call. He did not, however, disagree that Marchand deserved a penalty for his emotional “theatrics,” so we agreed to disagree on that front. My take is that you must know you missed that call, and that could’ve seriously injured Marchand, so shouldn’t you suck it up when it comes to Marchand’s reaction. Unless Marchand said something way out of line, let him stew a bit.
BANGER: In what seemed like a sleepy game by the Bruins at times, they still out-hit the Flyers 40-39. Bruins forward Morgan Geekie led all skaters with eight hits.
UNSUNG HERO: Yes, the Flyers’ final two goals could’ve been saved, but if not for Linus Ullmark, they would’ve gotten knocked out of Philadelphia like Clubber Lang in Rocky III.
The Boston Bruins must be counting their lucky stars that goalie Ullmark used his modified no-trade clause and nixed a trade to a Western Conference team that BHN has confirmed with a high-up Los Angeles Kings source was NOT the Kings. Since the March 8 NHL Trade Deadline, Ullmark has basically been lights out for the Bruins and has had to be that way behind a team that can be too lackadaisical lately. On another sleepy afternoon game for the Bruins, Ullmark kept his teammates in the game with a brilliant 26-save performance.
There was this gem on a Scott Laughton breakaway with 25 seconds left in the second period and just 1:20 after Flyers forward Travis Konecy broke a scoreless draw with a powerplay goal at 18:15 of the middle frame.
Linus Ullmark (@Icebeardude) with the denial on the breakaway! 🙅♂️ pic.twitter.com/FfnHWQ5ugX
— NHL (@NHL) March 23, 2024
Ullmark also kept the game tied by stopping a breakaway attempt by Owen Tippett with 2:15 left in regulation. Again, the last two goals he could’ve had, but the Bruins don’t even sniff a point in this game without Ullmark.
NEXT UP: The Bruins head south to ‘Aligator Alley’ to play the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night and then the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. With a win over the New York Rangers on Saturday night and then a win against the Flyers on Sunday, the Panthers would enter the game with the Bruins on Tuesday, one point ahead of the Bruins in the division, Eastern Conference, and Presidents’ Trophy races.
Boston Bruins Lineup
Forwards
Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – Jake DeBrusk
Danton Heinen – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak
Jakub Lauko – Morgan Geekie – Trent Frederic
James van Riemsdyk – Jesper Boqvist – Justin Brazeau
Defensemen
Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo
Mason Lohrei – Andrew Peeke
Goalies
Linus Ullmark
Jeremy Swayman