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Shootout magic: Brad Marchand, Tuukka Rask come up big as Bruins beat Devils 01.29.13 at 9:48 pm ET
By Mike Petraglia

Shawn Thornton provided early energy for the Bruins with his bout vs. Devils forward Krys Barch. (AP)

Brad Marchand scored the decisive goal in the sixth round while Tuukka Rask stopped 5-of-6 shots in the shootout as the Bruins beat the Devils, 2-1 in overtime Tuesday night at TD Garden. The Bruins (5-0-1) have gained at least a point in all six games this season. The highlight of the shootout came when Tyler Seguin had to re-do his first shot that produced a goal because a fan threw something on the ice. Seguin repeated his effort and scored again.

The Bruins and Devils are the only teams in the Eastern Conference without a regulation loss so far, joining San Jose and Chicago in the West, who were perfect coming into Tuesday’s action.

The two teams battled to a scoreless tie in the opening 20 minutes. Each team recorded nine shots on goal but neither team sustained serious pressure. The main highlight of the first period was a fight between Boston enforcer Shawn Thornton and New Jersey tough guy Krys Barch. In a bout that lasted for nearly a minute and a half, Thornton landed several clean shots before the two were broken apart by the officials, with both teams applauding their skater for staying on their feet the entire time.

The Bruins killed off an Andrew Ference tripping penalty with five minutes left in the first, giving them 24 straight kills to open the season.

But the Bruins were not as lucky in the second period as Johnny Boychuk was whistled for tripping at 7:22. David Clarkson redirected a Marek Zidlicky shot from the left point past Tuukka Rask for the first power play goal allowed by the Bruins in 25 chances this season.

The Bruins would kill off the next three power play chances and finished the game 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. They are 27-of-28 on the penalty kill this season.

The Bruins came out with much greater intensity in the opening minute of the third period and were buzzing around Johan Hedberg. Boston’s best chance came when Dougie Hamilton fired a shot from the left point that just went wide, missing the stick of David Krejci. Instead of a goal, Krejci was called for goaltender interference, taking some momentum away from the Bruins.

With 8:15 left, the Bruins got another golden opportunity to tie the game when Dainius Zubrus was called for holding. Midway through the man advantage, Patrice Bergeron and Nathan Horton had point-blank chances only to be denied by Hedberg. Bergeron raced down the slot but was stopped and Horton couldn’t get the rebound past the Devils goalie on a clean look. Those would be the only two shots the Bruins managed on the power play.

The Bruins finished 0-for-3 on the power play and now stand 3-for-24 on the power play this season. But the Bruins would get the equalizer with 4:05 left in regulation when Horton finally beat Hedberg five-hole on a shot from the slot, his third of the season. Hedberg stopped all 25 Boston shots before the game-tying goal. Just 50 seconds into overtime, Krejci just missed on a backhander in front of Hedberg while Bergeron had a clean look on shot coming down the right wing moments later. Rask stopped Henrik Tallinder with just over two minutes left in overtime. Tyler Seguin had a chance to win it but his shot from the right wing missed the net short side.

The Bruins are off Wednesday before taking on the Sabres Thursday night at TD Garden. For complete coverage from the Garden from DJ Bean and Mike Petraglia, visit the Bruins team page at weei.com/bruins.

Read More: Andrew Ference, Boston Bruins, David Clarkson, David Krejci Print  |  Email   | Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • Fab4ever

    This is fun to watch….thank goodness the NHL is back…

  • Anonymous

    GO YOU BRUINS, AND STAY ON A ROLL….!

  • tk

    Why is Bourque on the PP or still in the lineup for that matter? Other than the fact that he’s Rays kid?

  • Jwbnh

     I agree that was an awesome game ol’e time hockey . Tuka looks great and so does the “D”

  • Visionrider

     I thought the same thing and he was ahead of the little ball of hate ( Marshy)

  • Bruinman86

    Frustrating game for about 55 minutes.  But it was all worth it.  Seguin’s shootout talent is among the tops in the league.  Amazing he scored on his first shootout opportunity and then the do over when they disallowed the first one due to debris (which was a lame call). I’d love to hear what Marchand yelled at the Devils bench ofter his shootout winner.

  • Sicko

     He yelled: “suck it” is my guess. Great win but I still hate the shootout(even though tonights was exciting).

  • Sicko

     After a big win tonight that’s all you have to say?!? You btch about a 4th line player after game 6, really? Of course, after reading your past posts I can see why they call you Mr. Sunshine.

  • Bruinman86

     Yeah, I hear ya.  More OT should decide it.

  • Sicko

     Agreed. It just be the old school in me that just can’t get use to penalty shots deciding a game. Oh well, I guess it beats the ties they use to have. I remember back in the late 1990s, the Bruins had close to 20 ties one year.

  • Sicko

     BTW is Thornton not one of the toughest guys you have ever seen? The guy can flat out play as well.

  • Fab4ever

    Part of the reason for “shootouts” is the union decree…something to do with travel..in other words, the possibility of a game going on endlessly is not an option if a team is scheduled to fly out that evening…I believe that’s what I read…and the shootout was a major concession during the previous collective bargaining contract…I don’t mind it..don’t love it but like you said, it beats ties…ZZZZZ

  • Fab4ever

    Thornton is part and parcel that imbues the game that is the NHL…these guys are nuts to a degree but generally, once the fight is over, it’s over. The game polices itself…loved the message Chara gave when some player took a low hit on Hamilton in the 1st or 2nd game…done. Over…none of this bean ball charade…sure there’s bad blood between some guys and teams but it rarely becomes something other than part of the game…Thankfully the B’s have made me lose the Pats blues….

  • Visionrider

    We need the B’s to kill the pain of the Pats faulter, Go San Fran and Randy yep i can route for them- a class team without chumps.

  • truth

    how bad is kevin winter on d&c?

  • bench warmer

    What has little Ray done to deserve a chance in a shoot out?
    If anyone has earned a chance it’s Lucic. Milan skating towards a goalie has got to be intimidating.

  • ziggy61

    Hope the knuckle head who threw onto the ice is a season ticket holder and is now a season ticket LOSER! IDIOT!!

  • Bruinman86

    Yeah, he’s a keeper. Plays his A off and occasionally nets a hard earned goal.

  • Bruinman86

    Like they say “A tie is like kissing your sister”.

  • jj

    Yeah the goalie didn’t even see that bottle throw on the ice, went behind him. 

  • Bruinman86

     Stupid call.  A hockey friend (from the AHL Portland Pirates) and I had a good chat today about that.  What are the guys in Toronto doing when a stupid call like that comes down? If it was in his field of view, then that’s one thing, but it wasn’t even near his field of view from what we could tell.  B’s are lucky Seguin’s shootout skills are as sick as they are!

  • Boslad

    No it was not a lame call, it was a stupid, dangerous thing to do. I hope they’re able to catch the punk that through it and ban him for life from attending Bruins home games. If that debris hit either the goaltenders skate or Seguin’s there could have been real problems. 

  • Bruinman86

    Debris hit the ice all the time. Right or wrong. The goalie had a cage and full pads, hard to see how he could have been hurt. It certainly pales to the days when guys would heat up pennies with a lighter and fling them out onto the ice. The hot penny would melt into the ice and when a skate would hit it, the player could flip/fall. The guy who did it, should get a season’s ban. If he does it again, lifetime. BTW, the object looked like a hot dog. http://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_960w/Boston/2011-2020/2013/01/30/BostonGlobe.com/Sports/Images/160351809.jpg

  • DBag

     Yeah, probably one of those “free” hot dogs Jacobs is giving out because of the lockout.

  • Bruinman86

    What a joke that is. “Free Comfort Food!”

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