Senators-Bruins Game Recap

            It wasn’t pretty nor was it easy. It was downright ugly, but more importantly, the Boston Bruins dug deep and overcame the Ottawa Senators, winning 3-2 in a shootout. The Senators grabbed control of the game right out the gate, scoring twice in the opening minutes of the first frame. Things looked as if they were going to snow ball out of control for Boston. The Bruins showed true intestinal fortitude as they weathered the early storm and clawed their way back into the game, before ultimately winning it. This was a tilt filled with monstrous hits, numerous scoring chances, and spectacular goaltending. With the victory, Boston improves to 17-3-3 and 2-0 in head to head meetings with the Sens.

            Boston was uncharacteristically sloppy with its puck handling in the opening few minutes of the first period and the Sens made them pay. Ottawa’s Guillaume Latendresse notched he first goal of the season as he put his club up 1-0 just fifty-five seconds into the game. The goal was a direct result of a nifty deke that fooled Tuukka Rask. Kyle Turris followed with a beauty of his own, sending a wrist shot past Rask on his glove side. Ottawa’s second goal in just seven minutes immediately led to a wisely taken Claude Julien timeout. The Bruins instantaneously tightened up defensively and ramped up their physical play.

            Adam McQuaid administered a viscous hit on Senator forward Chris Neil that sent him tumbling into the end boards.  Patrick Wiercioch immediately coming to Neil’s aid, challenged McQuaid to a fight. Neil lay on the ice for several minutes, before being helped off. Bruising hitting from both sides took place at a fast and furious rate. There was a combined total of sixty-three hits in the game. In the closing seconds of the first period, Boston’s grinders got themselves on the board. Shawn Thornton fired a bad angle shot that dribbled past Ottawa goalie Robin Lehner, making it a 2-1 game. Fortunately for Boston, what had been a horrible start, was now suddenly a salvageable situation.

            Moving on to the second period, Chris Neal of Ottawa knocked out Chris Kelly. Kelly was sent to the dressing room on what looked to be a knee-to-knee hit. He never returned. After being out hit for much of this game, the Bruins began to show toughness. Milan Lucic and Johnny Boychuk each threw several sizeable checks. David Krejci caught the Sens in a line change, connecting with Danny Paille on a beautiful snap pass at the Ottawa blue line. Paille moved in alone and beat Robin Lehner to tie it two goals apiece.

            Boston and Ottawa went back and forth for the remainder of this game and through an overtime period. The two sides exchanged thunderous hits at a feverish pace and accounted for numerous scoring bids. The goaltending is what stood out in this one. Tuuka Rask bailed Boston out on numerous occasions. He was able to turn away thirty Senator shots, many in dramatic fashion. Rob Lehner of Ottawa, was equally as good. Lehner saved thirty-three of thirty-five shots directed toward him.  It was Boston’s fourth line that willed the team to victory. Hard work paid of off in a big way for grinders Shawn Thornton and Danny Paille. David Krejci finished off Ottawa with a fourth round shoot out goal.

            Boston will be in Pittsburgh tomorrow night to play Sidney Crosby and the 18-8-0 Penguins.