Boston Bruins Fall 3-2 In Overtime To Calgary Flames
Charlie Coyle scored two goals in Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Boston Bruins Fall 3-2 In Overtime To Calgary FlamesCharlie Coyle was the steady, persistent and dynamic player he’s been all season for the Boston Bruins in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames Thursday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.
The veteran center scored two goals and dragged his team out of a slow start – despite the outcome, his leadership shined through.
“All these points add up and we want to make sure we kind of rack up as many as we can,” Coyle said to reporters Thursday. “Sometimes you’ve got to grind your way to do that. It kind of stings when you don’t get the full two [points], but you can’t really fault our effort too much. I think it was right there.”
Oliver Kylington opened scoring at 12:55 of the first period. The defenseman received a cross-ice pass from Andrei Kuzmenko before wristing it from just above the left hash marks and past Linus Ullmark for the 1-0 lead.
Despite not converting on their one power play of the opening frame, the Bruins found the 1-1 equalizer at 18:41. Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom came far out of his crease to play the puck past Brad Marchand, but Coyle picked it up and blasted it home from the top of the zone, breaking an eight-game goal drought.
Calgary snagged the momentum right back just 42 seconds later when Martin Pospisil knocked in the rebound of Connor Zary’s down-low, back-handed shot for the 2-1 advantage at 19:23.
The score remained the same through the second period, but the Bruins – who had a sluggish opening 20 after playing the Edmonton Oilers the night before – seemed to find their game in the final 10 minutes of the middle frame and carried that into the third.
After trailing 16-10 in shots on goal in the first period, Boston led 11-5 through the next 20.
“I just think that’s natural progression. Hated our start, we were sluggish. We were better in the second and then I thought our legs were the best in the third,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said to reporters Thursday.
Coyle potted his second of the night to tie things 2-2 at 2:33 of the third period, and ultimately force overtime. Anthony Richard logged his third point in four games with the assist on the goal – stretching a pass up ice from the defensive zone that found Coyle at the offensive blue line. Coyle intercepted the rubber while speeding toward the Calgary net, flipped it to his backhand and tucked it past Markstrom for his 20th tuck of the season.
The last time Coyle hit the 20-goal mark was the 2015-16 season with the Minnesota Wild.
“That play on Coyle’s goal is a great example. He makes a smart play, puts it to an area, makes sure that we’re managing the game, we’re moving north, playing direct. Just his tenacity on pucks,” Montgomery said of Richard.
For the fourth straight game, the Bruins needed more than 60 minutes to determine an outcome.
Boston had a handful of high-danger chances in the five-minute, 3-on-3 period – including a Mason Lohrei wrister that hit the crossbar – but it was Nazem Kadri who ended the game, 3-2, and secured the extra point for the Flames at 3:56.
“Just to play the right way, to give a gutsy effort and play well for the most part – there’s gonna be lapses like we talked about – but to grind it out if you have to, whatever the game calls for and get these points,” Coyle said.
Boston will be back in action Saturday as it travels to Vancouver to face the Canucks for a 7 p.m. puck drop at Rogers Arena.
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