Morgan Geekie scored his first NHL hat trick Thursday night at TD Garden.
The Boston Bruins headed to the penalty kill with 2:59 remaining in the third period while up 5-4 against the Vegas Golden Knights.
For a team whose last six games had gone to overtime and last regulation win came on Feb. 8, shutting down the Vegas power play felt non-negotiable. And that the Bruins did, protecting their one-goal lead until the final buzzer.
A Morgan Geekie hat trick, fourth-line contributions, 32 saves from Jeremy Swayman and a power-play, go-ahead goal from Mason Lohrei secured Boston’s victory Thursday night at TD Garden.
“Huge step. It’s been a struggle lately, but that’s something we take a lot of pride in, and add that to our game and keep going here,” Lohrei said Thursday.
The Bruins put together one of their best first periods in the last month, potting three goals – two of which came from Geekie – while suppressing both Vegas’ offensive zone time and chances off the rush.
Geekie, who came into the night with two goals in the past 10 games, scored twice in his 4:38 of total ice time in the opening frame. The first came off a crisp, up-ice outlet pass from Trent Frederic, which Geekie picked up near the offensive blueline, outskated two Golden Knights and wristed the rubber past Adin Hill for the 1-0 lead at 14:34.
Jesper Boqvist doubled Boston’s advantage 30 seconds later, ripping it from the slot after Jakub Lauko dished it to him from behind the net at 15:04. Geekie closed out the first with a one-timer from the left circle, dished to him by David Pastrnak off the rush, to make it 3-0 at 16:54. The play marked Geekie’s 12th goal of the season and 29th point – a new career best.
“I feel like we’ve been starting well the last few games. We’ve just got to learn to close things out,” Geekie said Thursday.
The Bruins reverted back to a passive style of play in the second period, allowing Vegas to cut its deficit to 3-2 within the opening seven minutes.
Paul Cotter got the Golden Knights on the board at 1:48 when he batted the puck out of the air past Swayman from the low, left side. Alex Pietrangelo followed it up with a knock-in, rebound goal at 6:57 for the 3-2 scoreline and swift shift in momentum.
“Our second and third goals, there’s no desperation getting back to our net,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Thursday. “It’s game management, it’s making sure you’re doing the right thing on the right side of the puck. We’re just not consistently doing that.”
Geekie completed the hat trick with a timely tip-in goal at 16:32 to put the Bruins up 4-2 after Vegas dominated a majority of the period – and led 15-8 in SOG. However, the Golden Knights struck right back with a wrister from Michael Amadio at 17:46 to make it 4-3 heading into the third.
“It’s something that you don’t ever really think about coming into a game, but it’s always fun, especially when you get two points,” Geekie said of his hat trick.
A Keegan Kolesar cross-checking penalty at 3:08 gave the Bruins an opportunity to extend their lead, but the Golden Knights were the only one to benefit from the Boston man advantage. Chandler Stephenson scooped up the rebound of Pastrnak’s shot and dashed the other way, roofing it top corner to tie things 4-4 at 5:01 while Charlie McAvoy trailed behind him.
Lohrei’s game-winner came at 15:23 while Sheldon Rempal sat for a tripping penalty. Kevin Shattenkirk dished it over to the left circle, where Lohrei blasted it five-hole for the final 5-4 score.
“I mean, unbelievable. First one here at the Garden, so one I’ll remember forever. I kind of just blacked out after I saw that it went in,” Lohrei said.
The game, as a whole, wasn’t the prettiest, but it was a regulation win nonetheless and one that showed a heightened level of resolve and urgency from the Bruins. The team will be back in action Saturday against the New York Islanders for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop at UBS Arena.
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