How Johnny Beecher, Mason Lohrei Headlined Bruins’ 3-2 Win Over Stars

Johnny Beecher and Mason Lohrei both scored their first NHL goals in the Boston Bruins' 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Monday night as the team improved to a 10-1-1 record.

It was a full team effort in the Boston Bruins’ 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Monday night, highlighted by two of the squad’s newbies marking up the scoresheet.

“Two goals from rookies and the fourth line. It was really important, we really wanted to jump on [the Stars] early and we were able to do that,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said postgame.

Both Johnny Beecher and Mason Lohrei netted their first NHL goals on Monday night to give Boston a 2-0 advantage in the first period. It was the first time two Bruins scored their first NHL goal in the same game since Charlie McAvoy and Jake DeBrusk on Oct. 5, 2017.

Beecher, who skated on the fourth line with Danton Heinen and Oskar Steen, started the rookie show at 10:21 of the opening frame. A strong play by defenseman Ian Mitchell in the corner with two Stars on him popped the puck out, eventually reaching Hampus Lindholm at the point whose shot rang around the net. Beecher collected the rubber below the right dot, circled up the zone and came back down to snipe one top shelf.

“He attacked downhill, looked to shoot, took the open space,” Montgomery said. “He did a great job on the forecheck, the entire line did. Got the turnover and then they made something happen going into the net.”

In between periods while in an interview with NESN, Beecher admitted he thought his first NHL goal would’ve been more “greasy.” Instead, it was a high-end wrister that beat Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger cleanly, and against the Stars’ top line of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski nonetheless.

“Obviously dreamt of that as a kid growing up,” Beecher said postgame. “It’s about as happy as you could ever be. Not only to get the first one, but to score a big goal in an away game to help your team win.”

Lohrei doubled Boston’s lead at 14:09 after Heinen got the puck below the goal line in the right corner and swung it up to the 22-year-old defenseman in the high slot, who snapped it past Oettinger glove-side to make it 2-0. Lohrei’s knack for the offensive side of the game and confidence in his shot was showcased throughout training camp, and he finally got to cash in on the big stage.

“Pretty cool to watch that one go in,” Lohrei said postgame. “‘Heino’ made a great play, ‘Steener’ screening in front, so made it easy on me – just had to hit the net.”

The puck, obviously, was saved, and Lohrei said it’s going right to his dad, who was in attendance at American Airlines Arena on Monday night.

“Ever since when I went to junior and scored my first goal, I gave him the puck. Same thing in college and now this one will go to him too,” Lohrei said. “You work your whole life to be here and you always dream about scoring your first goal, so pretty cool to check that one off the list.”

Veteran and stay-at-home defenseman Brandon Carlo has been on the second pair with Lohrei after last week’s call-up from Providence (AHL), and the duo has balanced each other out well.

However, despite the goal, Lohrei showed some obvious growing pains in the third period on Wyatt Johnston’s tally that made it 2-1 at 5:09. Lohrei was caught flat-footed at the blue line, where he mishandled and turned over the puck to a Dallas rush up ice. While he got back to the defensive zone, the B’s coverage was spotty and left the point open, letting Esa Lindell get the assisting shot off for Johnston’s tip-in goal.

Montgomery shortened his bench thereafter, and Lohrei saw just one shift in more than 10 minutes.

Nonetheless, Monday night’s win against a Dallas team that sits first in the Central and has Stanley Cup aspirations is huge. Around the Bruins’ hot start has been the caveat of their early weaker opponents, but Boston has proved its legitimacy the past few games while pulling out gutty, short-handed wins.

Without five of their regular starters – Milan Lucic, Jakub Lauko, Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk and Derek Forbort – the Bruins have displayed their depth, discipline and faith in their young players to step up in big moments.

Beecher and Lohrei didn’t have perfect games – most guys didn’t – but they were difference-makers for shifts at a time. Group Matt Poitras in there with them; the B’s youngsters aren’t just getting by and trying to blend in, they’re standing out and making an immediate impact.

Montgomery said it at the beginning of the season, there is more room for opportunity with this season’s team than there has been within the Bruins lineup in years, and players like Beecher, Lohrei and Poitras have really run with that – even if it means buying into a bottom six grinding role in Beecher’s case.

Beyond the first-years, much credit has to be given to the Bruins’ goaltending, particularly Jeremy Swayman on Monday night, who was outstanding in his 35-save performance. Improving to a 6-0-0 record, Swayman’s positioning was solid through 60 minutes, he was reading plays clearly and was sharp and direct with his stops, coming up big to protect his team’s lead in all three periods.

“There was a lot of traffic, a lot of odd bounces, and he seemed to track everything – the goals they scored were deflections,” Montgomery said.

The Bruins are feeling good, and they’ve got a real believability in their system, which has propelled them to a 10-1-1 record after beating Dallas. The B’s will look to keep the hot streak going on Thursday night at TD Garden when they welcome the New York Islanders for a 7 p.m. puck drop.