Just when you think you have the world figured out, something happens to rekindle a flame.
On Thursday night, the Chicago Blackhawks hung a rare home loss on the Bruins in Boston, 4-3, in overtime.
It was not without the Bruins doing their usual third period rallies to force the extra session.
Boston posted three goals in the third after the Hawks had taken a 3-0 lead early in the frame.
At some point this pattern will cost the Bruins real points but for now, they caught a break and got the loser’s point in the match.
“I don’t know that it’s sustainable. Maybe if you can keep it tied and then in the third find that crack and try to expose it. We’ve got game breakers that can do that,” Bruins forward David Backes said. “But certainly digging the hole 2-0, letting them score [17] seconds into the third, was not a recipe for success.
“That being said, we showed some great character and found a way to get one point out of it, and whatever you say about overtime, they made a play and you know you got all the momentum and you hope to finish off the job of all the hard work to getting that game back to even.”
For Chicago, Robin Lehner made 37 saves as the Blackhawks ended a three-game skid.
“Well obviously it’s a good feeling. I mean, we knew this was a good challenge for us and a great opportunity,” Lehner said. “Been in a little bit of a slump coming in to [play] probably the best team in the League at the moment in their building. Obviously we would like to win in it regulation, but we made some mistakes and they capitalized on it. … They’re a good team, we battled hard, made some mistakes, they capitalized on it, and eventually we were rewarded, so it’s a great win.”
Ryan Carpenter and Dylan Strome scored in the first period for Chicago for a 2-0 lead.
Alex DeBrincat extended the lead to 3-0 with a goal just 17 seconds into the clean ice of the third period.
The Boston rally started with Joakim Nordstrom‘s goal 1:49 of the third.
Chris Wagner potted a shorthanded goal Torey Krug tied the game with less than three minutes to go in regulation.
“It was amazing, it was feeling good, too bad we weren’t able to pull the two points,” the Bruins’ David Pastrnak said. “But that’s a [heck] of a one point for us. I think the third period, [Par Lindholm] and [Sean] Kuraly’s line were unbelievable, and that was a good comeback.”
Jonathan Toews picked up the game winner i the extra session.
“I just was able to cause a turnover there,” Toews said. “And obviously they had three guys jumping trying to score a goal, and I was able to get a breakaway so it was nice to get that opportunity and capitalize on it.”
[WATCH:Â All Blackhawks vs. Bruins highlights]
Tuukka Rask made 27 saves in the loss.
“Our job is to make sure we don’t get complacent,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I don’t think we have been, to be honest with you. I think it would show in our record if we were. But, lack of urgency from period to period, absolutely. We’re going to continue to address it, but to get to your level 82 times a [year] for 60 [minutes] … it is a challenge for a coach, and it’s a challenge for the players, but we’ll need it.”
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