In Uniondale, Boston’s Brad Marchand scored with 3:36 gone in overtime on Thursday night to give the Bruins a 2-1 win and a 2-1 series lead over the New York Islanders.
Brad Marchand had the OT winner for the Boston Bruins
“Obviously not a great one, but any puck, especially in overtime, has a chance to go in,” Marchand said. “That’s always something I think every team talks about going into overtime is you can’t pass up a shot, and that’s another example of it.”
Tuukka Rask made 28 saves to get the win.
“I think both teams had some chances,” Rask said. “Both power plays, both penalty kills played well, so it just happened to be a low-scoring game. In the past there’s been some bounces going both ways, kind of a goalie’s nightmare, so to speak. … Today was a very tight game.”
Mathew Barzal scored the Islanders only goal in the 15th minute of the third period to get New York even and force the extra session.
“Tuukka made a great save,” Barzal said. “Usually in those situations, I thought I was in tight and just wanted to sneak one five-hole, but he was there. He was big all night for them as was ‘Varly.’ So it’s unfortunate.”
His goal came off a bounce back from the end boards to the slot where he managed to stuff it home.
The Islanders were scoreless in three power play chances; Boston went 0-for-2 with the man advantage.
“I thought when we scored the goal and even at the end of [regulation] on the power play, I thought our power play had some really good looks,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “Then, we had the puck, we had the game on our stick a couple times, one right at the end of the power play at the end of regulation, and then we had a really good look on them in overtime that [if] it slides 2 or 3 inches a little more in our wheelhouse, we put it in the back of the net and we’re the ones cheering after the game. So you just go with it.
“We’re going to forget this game. We’ll move forward and just focus on Saturday. That’s all you can do.”
Game 4 of the series is set for Long Island on Saturday.
Marchand’s goal came off the left wing below the face-off dot and found the back of the net off the severe angle.
Craig Smith staked the Bruins to a 1-0 lead with 5:52 elapsed in the game.
“I thought we were clearly the better team (in the third),” Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We’re going into overtime, we have to have that attitude that we have been, understand what they do well and put that play behind us where they scored. Guys did a good job with that.”
Semyon Varlamov made 39 saves in the loss.
“I’ve got to watch the replay,” Varlamov said. “We just finished the game. I didn’t even see the replay. So I’ve got to kind of go back in the locker room and I don’t really have an answer for you right now. It was kind of a weird shot, but the puck found the net. So, it was a good play, I guess, by Marchand.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.