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Bruins blow another third-period lead in loss to Jets 03.19.13 at 10:31 pm ET
By DJ Bean

The third period hurt the Bruins once again Tuesday, as they saw the Jets erase their 1-0 lead and hand them a 3-1 regulation loss in Winnipeg.

The loss highlighted a troubling pattern for the B’s, as they have led in the third period in five of their six regulation losses this season, blowing third-period leads to the Sabres (twice), Canadiens, Penguins and now Jets.

Brad Marchand scored eight seconds into the second period to get Boston on the board, and that lead held up until former Bruin Blake Wheeler redirected a Zach Bogosian shot past Tuukka Rask on a Jets power play with 8:16 remaining in regulation. Less than a minute later, Evander Kane scored on a rebound to give the Jets the lead and a big win for a Jets team that overtook first place in the Southeast Division with the victory. Wheeler added an empty-netter with 6.8 seconds left to give him 14 goals on the season.

The loss stung more than usual for the Bruins, who were already without Chris Kelly (broken tibia) and David Krejci (knee) and lost Adam McQuaid early in the first period to an upper-body injury.

The Bruins will continue their Canadian road trip when they face the Senators Thursday night in Ottawa and the Maple Leafs Saturday in Toronto.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR THE BRUINS

- The Bruins lost Adam McQuaid for the game after a hit he took from Jets forward Eric Tangradi in the corner on McQuaid’s shift. McQuaid appeared to hurt his shoulder on the play, and the B’s announced after the first period that McQuaid would miss the rest of the contest with an upper-body injury.

With McQuaid out, his usual partner in Andrew Ference was paired with Johnny Boychuk, while Dennis Seidenberg saw time with both Zdeno Chara and Dougie Hamilton. Chara led the B’s with 20 shifts and 18:52 of ice time through the first two periods.

- The Bruins had two power plays in the first period (both penalties drawn by Johnny Boychuk) and mustered a grand total of zero shots on the man advantage. Though they got a pair of shots on goal on their first of two third-period power plays — including a Pavelec robbing Zdeno Chara in front — the B’s finished 0-for-4 on the man advantage.

- Wheeler’s power-play goal halted Boston’s consecutive penalties killed streak at 27. The Bruins held the Jets without a shot on the power play that followed a Hamilton interference penalty, but Wheeler came through with the key goal with Jordan Caron in box for hooking Bryan Little in the third period.

WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR THE BRUINS

- Marchand’s goal was his first in the last eight games. The Bruins’ leading goal-scorer wasn’t exactly slumping over his gaal-less stretch, as he had five assists in his seven games without a goal.

- Claude Julien said that he was going to start Ryan Spooner on the top line and then adjust over the course of the game if need be, but he didn’t have to do the latter on Tuesday. Spooner handled the responsibility thrown at him well, holding his own centering Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton and getting power play time. He made a nice backhanded pass to Lucic on Boston’s third-period power play to set up a Lucic bid that was denied by Ondrej Pavelec. Spooner also created a turnover behind the net following the Jets’ goal that allowed Lucic to set up Horton in front.

- Rask came up big with the Jets piling on the pressure in the third period, stopping Eric Tangradi and then turning in a huge save on the follow-up bid by Chris Thorburn.

Tuesday marked Spooner’s second career NHL game. He played 5:29 last month against the Canadiens and 15:29 Tuesday.

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  • Anonymous

    Becomming a two period team and injuries piling up. Offense and PP are non-existant.
    Will not get any better at this pace. Every team has a down period however this third period let down has become second nature.
    Shake it up.

  • Troll Hunter

    Offense and lack of a power play are killing this team. No excuses for their 5 meltdowns in the third period this year. Julien needs to stop with the trap and get the forecheck going in these third periods. It always seem the Bruins are playing not to lose instead of going for the kill. Again, Chiarelli(yes, it is a broken record) needs to get this team some help or they are going to be one and done come playoff time.

  • John from Winnipeg

    Bruins out played the jets big time, but Pavelick was brilliant in net. you have a great hockey club!

  • Troll Hunter

    Winnipeg out hit the Bruins and cashed in on the pp. Wheeler was on fire. I know it helped the Bruins win the Cup but that trade is looking a little one sided now. Bruins pulled their usual “let’s see if we can hold on” in the third period.

    Good luck in the playoffs…..

  • Bruinman86

    Yet another anemic Bruins offensive game. Gonna have to make a move to fix it.

  • Titletown1

    Sorry, but the overriding deficiency of this B’s team is no mystery to anyone who has watched them this season: they don’t have enough (any?) goal scorers, period. And their 3rd period collapses are disturbing.
    I know Lucic had three assists the other night, but come on, he’s been invisible this year. And the Bourque experiment lasted two months too long, screwing up Kelly and Peverley in the process.
    Maybe this B’s team peaked too early (?).

  • bench warmer

    The bruins will not make any moves, because Jacobs horses need hay.

  • Bill_hicks

    Team wouldn’t even have a Cup in ’11 if it wasn’t for the “Game without a Penalty” vs. the Lightning. The Habs and Pens will spank them in the playoffs this year. Jacobs’ likes the cash in his wallet and B’s fans keep taking it. Good for you the the NHL rigged ’11. This won’t be popular on this board, but it is what it is.

  • Bruinsfan43

    This anemic offense is finally costing games. Where was Horton, Lucic, last night? Obviously missing Krecji didn’t help, but they did not go out and put pressure on the defense with a serious forecheck. This team does not put the puck on the net enough either. Without any serious scoring threats the opponents have to respect, they can just clog the passing lanes. So the forecheck becomes more important, but it has been pretty much nonexistent for most of the season. We need a sniper or two at by the trade deadline. How the heck does Wheeler have 13 goals? Must be finally getting better.

  • Troll Hunter

    Shut up you moron. Yeah, the NHL “fixed” 2011, give me a break. Is this that moron “1972″ the idiot Tampa fan? The only thing “but it is what it is” is that you need some serious help you tool.

  • fab4ever

    Gentlemen, we now have a NEW resident moron…Bill Hicks….blah, blah, blah…no cup without that penalty free game…yeah and when pigs fly as well idiot. Read this and learn…to win ANY championship, you need a combination of three things; talent, health and yes troll, luck! You don’t have one of those ingredients, you lose….the B’s had them all that year and deservedly won…and the NHL “rigged” 2011″ Are you that stupid? Really? What the phark are you smoking crackhead? Or did your brain just become saturated with pork rinds?

  • fab4ever

    I watched that game and I didn’t see the B’s out play anyone….The Jets give us trouble, yes…but this B’s team appears now to be full of holes, as a season will eventually reveal over time. They started hot, looked great…they were winning without a power play, with OK goal tending and a lack of production from our resident power forward…now the chickens have come home to roost and they are being exposed…if they don’t make some moves before the deadline, they will not go far…their shine has dulled quite a bit in the last month…

  • fab4ever

    I don’t think the trade is one sided….Nick Peverley is a solid player…he does quite a bit for this team…yes, it was painful to see a homegrown talent like Blake Wheeler traded and he is playing great but Nick is doing fine…he sin’t the problem, far from it…when you have an alleged “power forward” who can’t a) handle a puck, b) can’t put a puck in the ocean, you have an issue. When your power play is a consistent “no show” night in, night out, it’s a problem. And when you run out of gas in the 3rd period on a consistent basis, something else smells…I don’t like the way this team is performing and neither do you…including that Sabres loss at the Garden, the B’s are 13-9 since that night…that, my friend, is no recipe for winning a Stanley Cup…

  • Gary Mick Graham

    What is wrong with Lucic, it wasnt just the Jets game that he looks as if he doesnt know what he is supposed to do, its a regular thing it seems. But its just not Milan, it seems the Bruins get a lead, no matter how big or small and then they just sit on it. The Bergeron line are the catalyst, they never stop, but they need the Lucic line to do likewise. Hopefully they get the mental set that everyone has to play hard and play hard for 60 minutes.

  • Sons of Matignon

    Now we know why New Jersey axed Claude with a great record….and why Peter needs Cam around to help him over the big ones…this is getting ugly…time for Neeley to put his foot down and find a scorer – deal Cotton, aka Krejci, dump Ference and kick Chara in the butt – he’s skating like he has concrete skates…Horton and Lucic have to play with emotion to be effective just like the little ball of hate – emotion has always driven the Bruins – and that is how we like our hockey – methodical and slow trap hockey sucks – come on cam – kick it in the butt kid – that is your job!!!!!!!

  • TK

    B’s wouldn’t have won the cup without Thomas!

  • TK

    When is this team going to realize that 2 things won them the cup? 1. Tim Thomas 2. Physical play. Thomas is gone, so they better start to pick up the effort in the physical dept. They were being put through the boards all night without any push back and when they play like that they lose, plain and simple. Looks as if Lucic is taking another season off. Spooner on the 1st line?!?! They have 0 offensive power and the last couple of seasons they bring in guys like Rolston and now Pandolfo, who are all done, there’s a reason why no other team wants them. The B’s front office talks about adding to depth, BS! You’re adding a veteran player whose best years are behind him and you’re simply putting him in because he won’t hurt you, the problem is he won’t help either, so I guess that speaks volumes for the talent in Providence. Enough of the bargain basement shopping. Just a few other reasons they look like s@#t!

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