The Boston Bruins are red hot right now and just wrapped a dominant four-game homestand. The team earned seven out of eight possible points in their stretch on TD Garden ice. They’ve played some really solid team hockey out of the gate and have gotten tremendous goaltending. Boston is now 9-0-1 through their first ten games, which puts them second overall in the entire NHL.
The Start of the Homestand for the Boston Bruins Was Not So Dominant Against the Anaheim Ducks
The homestand did, however, start with a blunder. The Bruins had a 3-1 lead against the Anaheim Ducks with just over two minutes remaining in the third period. The Ducks scored two goals, with the goalie pulled and tied the game with just 14 seconds to go. They then dominated the possession in overtime, and Mason McTavish scored the game-winner.
A Bounce Back Against the Detroit Red Wings
The Bruins responded right away in their next game against the Detroit Red Wings. It was their first divisional matchup of the season, and they had it circled on the calendar. They played a very tight defensive game, limiting Detroit’s high-end offence. The Bruins got goals from Pavel Zacha, Charlie McAvoy, and two from David Pastrnak. The first one Pastrnak scored was on a penalty shot, and the second was an empty netter. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves en route to a 4-1 victory.
David Pastrnak scores another penalty shot goal.
3-1 Bruins. pic.twitter.com/lsiNrlQ1lb
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) October 29, 2023
The Florida Panthers Game Resilience to Continue the Boston Bruins Dominant Homestand
In the third game, Boston played host to the Florida Panthers. The very team that last year knocked them out in the first round, ending their season. The Bruins found themselves in a hole as they had a lacklustre first period. The Panthers dominated and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. The Bruins responded quickly in the second period with a Brad Marchand goal 3:38 into the middle frame.
Boston tied it 2-2 in the third on a great rush where Zacha found Pastrnak, who dropped it off for McAvoy for the finish. However, following that, McAvoy took a match penalty when he hit Panthers defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the head. As a result, McAvoy was tossed from the game and then given a four-game suspension the next day. The Bruins were resilient and killed off the five-minute major, which drew the TD Garden crowd to their feet. They went to overtime, where Pavel Zacha was the hero, scoring the game-winner.
It was a gutsy win, considering they were short two defencemen for half the third period. Matt Grzelcyk was injured in the first period and didn’t return. He was placed on LTIR the following day.
Boston goal!
Scored by Pavel Zacha with 01:24 remaining in the OT period.
Boston: 3
Florida: 2#FLAvsBOS #NHLBruins #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/S7lnroK8ed— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 31, 2023
Another Original Six Foe: The Toronto Maple Leafs
The Fourth and Final game was against long-time division rival the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was a spectacular hockey game. It was undoubtedly the biggest challenge that Boston has faced this season. Especially because they were down three of their regular defencemen: Charlie McAvoy was out due to suspension, Matt Grzelcyk was out due to injury, and Derek Forbort was day-to-day and couldn’t go.
Boston recalled Ian Mitchell, Parker Wotherspoon, and Mason Lohrei from AHL affiliate Providence. For Lohrei, it was the 22-year-old’s NHL debut. He played a solid game, which included picking up his first career assist on Pavel Zacha’s goal. Boston struck again early in the second period to take a 2-0 lead, but Toronto answered.
Mitch Marner scored right after Ilya Samsonov robbed Zacha on a breakaway chance. 1:03 after Marner’s goal, Auston Mathews tied the game 2-2 on a top-shelf wrist shot that whizzed by Swayman. Regulation wasn’t enough time to decide a winner, so the two original six teams went to overtime. The Bruins had a power play but couldn’t cash in, leading to a shootout. Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle both scored for Boston, while Nylander and Matthews were denied by Swayman, giving Boston their ninth win of the season.
Jake DeBrusk's shootout move is just unfair 😤 pic.twitter.com/p5uYTIOuq7
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) November 3, 2023
Up Next Moving on From the Boston Bruins Dominant Homestand
The Bruins will head to Detroit to face the Red Wings for the second time this season. It will be a 7:00 p.m. EDT puck drop tonight.
Main photo: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
