BOSTON — The Boston Bruins did not have their best stuff against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. According to Natural Stat Trick, they had 0.96 expected goals at five-on-five, their second-lowest mark of the season and the worst in seven games under interim coach Joe Sacco.
“Obviously, we didn’t have it tonight as best as we had it in the last couple,” Justin Brazeau said. “But good teams find a way to win. Any time you can do that in this league, it’s obviously really hard to win.”
But Pavel Zacha scored the three-on-three winner to give the Bruins a 3-2 overtime victory. Two points are 2 points, especially when you’re a bubble team fighting for every inch. These might have been 2 points the Bruins handed away under ex-coach Jim Montgomery.
PAV PUT IT AWAY 🙌 pic.twitter.com/kfr7A6adWJ
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 4, 2024
“I think we’re playing with passion,” said Nikita Zadorov, whose first-period one-timer tied the score at 1-1. “I think we’re playing with pride. I think we’re playing for each other. I thought we were disconnected before. That’s what wasn’t working. I don’t think we fixed much X and O’s. I think it’s the same system, same game plans. We’re just doing that this time.”
It will be a dogfight for the Bruins the rest of the run. When David Pastrnak isn’t scoring (zero goals on four shots), the Bruins are not insulated with secondary punch.
Case in point: With the score tied at 2-2 and less than two minutes left in regulation, Sacco gave Marc McLaughlin, recalled from Providence on Nov. 22, a first-line shift with Zacha and Pastrnak. Morgan Geekie (one shot in 12:26 of ice time) is simply not a top-liner, asked to play his off side, no less. No. 1 left wing is the most obvious shortcoming general manager Don Sweeney has to address.
Meanwhile, Zacha, Brad Marchand and Elias Lindholm, three of their top six forwards, did not land a single five-on-five shot. Neither did No. 3 center Charlie Coyle, who is dealing with an undisclosed ailment that kept him from taking any faceoffs.
But during the Bruins’ 5-2-0 turnaround under Sacco, they are finding different routes to 2-point results. Tuesday, it was Joonas Korpisalo’s (25 saves) making timely stops, Brazeau’s (power-play goal) deflecting a Mason Lohrei point shot and Zadorov’s beating Ville Husso from distance.
“It wasn’t a clean game, either side,” Sacco said. “It was a low-event game for a while there. Second period got a little interesting. We took two penalties back-to-back and there was a four-on-four. It picked up a little bit from there. You just stay with it in those types of games.”
Korpisalo has a .909 save percentage over nine starts, better than Jeremy Swayman’s .892 mark. Korpisalo has done his job as the No. 2, keeping his team in most of his appearances.
“He flies under the radar a little bit with the start he’s had with our group,” Sacco said. “He deserves a lot of credit for the way he’s come in and played under tough situations sometimes. Tonight he got the beginning of a back-to-back. Sometimes he doesn’t. He may get the end of a back-to-back. He’s just been really solid for us. Really, all you can ask from your goaltender is to give your team a chance to win. He’s done that on most nights.”
But the Bruins need Pastrnak to sparkle if they want to see their revival through. He is too important and too skilled not to make an impact. Even if the puck wasn’t going in for him against Detroit, the No. 1 right wing made the game-changing play in overtime.
As Alex DeBrincat carried the puck behind his net, Pastrnak got enough of his opponent to cause a turnover. Pastrnak could have been called for tripping. He was not. So when Zacha recovered the puck, Pastrnak broke for the slot and raised his stick for his signature one-timer, but the angle wasn’t quite right. Instead of shooting, he had the awareness to give the puck back to his center. Zacha ended the night.
“I saw his swing for the one-timer wasn’t as big,” Zacha said. “So I know he’s going to come right back to me. It was a great look.”
(Photo of Justin Brazeau: Brian Fluharty / Imagn Images)
