Charlie Coyle scored twice and set a new career-high Saturday night at TD Garden.
Charlie Coyle scored twice and set a new career-high Saturday night at TD Garden.
In a combined seven-goal third period, the Boston Bruins came out with a 6-5 win.
The Saturday night matchup at TD Garden against a Philadelphia Flyers team vying for playoff position showcased both the Bruins’ high-flying offense, and trouble closing out games all in one.
The B’s opened the final frame with three goals in just under three minutes, taking a 5-2 lead, but allowed the Flyers to get within one twice before the final buzzer.
“We’ve got to learn – you have to close out games, you can’t just think it’s over. The other teams are desperate,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Saturday.
Nonetheless, the win featured two goals from Charlie Coyle, a multi-point performance from Jake DeBrusk and a confidence-boosting tally from Johnny Beecher following his call-up from AHL Providence earlier this week.
“You don’t want to give up these leads, but we did score six…We won this time,” DeBrusk said Saturday. “These are the types of trials and runs you have to go through throughout the year, especially heading into the playoffs here.”
Ryan Poehling opened scoring at 4:18 of the first period while on a 2-on-1 rush with former Bruin Garnet Hathaway. Hathaway dished the puck over to Poehling by the right circle who one-timed it past Jeremy Swayman for the 1-0 lead.
Morgan Geekie found the equalizer with his 16th goal of the season at 15:51. DeBrusk carried the puck into the zone and passed it to Geekie on the right side who released a rocket to tie things 1-1.
The Bruins only registered five shots on goal to the Flyers’ eight in the opening frame.
Philadelphia pulled ahead, 2-1, at 12:01 of the second period thanks to a tip-in goal from Boston University product Joel Farabee. However, Coyle’s power play tally at 15:22 knotted things 2-2 heading into the third. Coyle’s 22nd goal of the season marked a new high, and was his first since Feb. 26.
“I just try to play the way I know how to play. You’re put into a different role, and you try to make the most of that opportunity and rise to that occasion,” Coyle said Saturday.
Coyle potted his second of the night to open the final stanza. The forward collected the puck at the top of the offensive zone and forced it all the way to the net before wristing it top-shelf for the 3-2 advantage.
Beecher – in his second game back with Boston since getting called up from AHL Providence on Wednesday – scored a second-effort, net-front goal at 3:45 to make it 4-2. Andrew Peeke earned his first point as a Bruin with the primary assist.
“Just happy to get on the board and just trying to help the team win any way I can. It always feels good to go in the back of the net,” Beecher said Saturday.
DeBrusk joined in on the fun just 19 seconds later, wrapping the puck around Felix Sandstrom’s left pad and in for the 5-2 lead at 4:04. DeBrusk now has three goals in his last four games, and seven points in his last five.
“I feel like I’ve been playing pretty well. I feel like finally things are just going my way,” DeBrusk said.
A sneaky wrap-around shot from Nicolas Delauriers cut the Bruins’ lead to 5-3 at 14:12 and a between-the-legs goal from Morgan Frost made it 5-4 at 15:14. Danton Heinen cushioned Boston, 6-4, on a coast-to-coast play that ended with a laser from the left circle at 17:01.
Farabee got Philadelphia within one, once again, with his second goal of the game – this time, jamming the puck in from behind the net at 17:56 for the final 6-5 scoreline.
“I don’t know if we got complacent or what, but we can’t afford to play like that and have that mindset. It’s up to us to correct that,” Coyle said.
The Bruins will be back in action Tuesday as they host the Ottawa Senators for a 7 p.m. puck drop at TD Garden.
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