Coming off a frustrating loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 7, the Boston Bruins needed a big response less than 48 hours later against a much-improved and dangerous Arizona Coyotes team at the TD Garden on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 9. As has been the case for Jim Montgomery’s team, it was another slow start and despite playing well in spurts throughout the game, the Bruins were able to hold off the Coyotes for a 5-3 victory.
It was a less-than-stellar performance from the Black and Gold in the third period, but they were able to hold on despite having to kill two penalties over the final 20 minutes. Here are three takeaways after Boston improved to 18-5-3 in a game that they needed to win.
Linus Ullmark Saves the Day for the Bruins
In the big picture, the Bruins got two much-needed points at home, but the story of the game was not the five goals they scored, but the 31 saves that Linus Ullmark made. As usual, he made some big ones and some very timely ones as the Black and Gold bent so many times in the game but never broke because of the Vezina Trophy winner from last season.
On Arizona’s second power play of the first period, Ullmark made a big save on Nick Schmaltz, then with the Bruins clinging to a 4-3 third-period lead, he made a nice leg save on a shot from Logan Cooley in the slot. Jason Zucker was stopped at point-blank range after Arizona cut the deficit to 4-3 in the third period and Alex Kerfoot was left alone in the slot on the Coyotes’ final power play opportunity and Ullmark made a kick save.
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It was the second consecutive game for Ullmark as Jeremy Swayman who was the backup, but still was not feeling great from an illness. Like last season, timely saves were the difference for the Black and Gold.
Another Game, Another Key Bruins Injury
Slowly the Bruins are going down with injuries. Before the Buffalo game, Boston announced that they were placing Derek Forbort on LTIR, then later that night against the Sabres, Charlie McAvoy left with an upper-body injury and missed the Arizona game. Now you can add Pavel Zacha to the list of growing injuries after he did not return following the first period.
It was announced after the game that Zacha was not returning with an upper-body injury. He played 6:42 in the first period on eight shifts and won all three of his faceoffs. Following the game, Montgomery did not have an update on his top pivot following the win, and with Boston not scheduled to practice Sunday (Dec. 11), there will be no update until Monday (Dec. 12). If he’s down for any length of time, the depth up the middle, which there already is very little, will be severely tested.
Charlie Coyle Picked Up Slack Without Zacha
Over the final two periods, Charlie Coyle played very well without Zacha. In the third period, there were times when Montgomery double-shifted him and even used him to kill penalties. He scored a goal in the first period for a 2-0 Bruins lead when he tipped a pass from Trent Frederic at the top of the crease, but his best work was done at the faceoff dot.
Coyle was 17-for-22 on faceoffs, he played just under 21 minutes in the game and he logged 5:38 in time on ice shorthanded. In the first period, Coyle, Frederic, and James van Riemsdyk were back together and showed that they are a unit that should be played together whenever they can. They had to be broken up following Zacha’s injury, but when healthy, it’s a trio that plays very well together.
Bruins Quick Takeaways
- With no McAvoy, Kevin Shattenkirk played a lot with the top power-play unit and he was rewarded with a goal early in the second period when he took a pass from David Pastrnak and scored over a sprawling Connor Ingram. It was his second goal in a week.
- No Forbort and no McAvoy meant more ice time for Brandon Carlo and the big defenseman was up for the challenge. He played just under 25 minutes and played 7:19 in shorthanded time on ice. He was on the ice for two-thirds of the Coyotes’ power play time in the game and he only blocked one shot.
- Pastrnak scored two goals, the first and fifth. He won a battle behind the net in the first period, swung around to the front, and beat Ingram with a shot under the crossbar. In the third period, he sealed the win when he knocked home a loose puck in the crease. He led the Bruins with six shots on the net.
- Arizona scored two goals less than a minute apart in the second period to close the deficit to 3-2, but Danton Heinen scored on a nice wrist shot under the crossbar midway through the period to regain a two-goal lead. He has been a nice addition so far in 2023-24.
The Bruins will now have four days off before playing a pair of tough Metropolitan Division foes on the road at the New Jersey Devils (Dec. 13) and the New York Islanders (Dec. 15), before coming home on Dec. 16 to play the New York Rangers. They will need the rest and hope that McAvoy and Zacha are not out for a long time.