The Boston Bruins improved to a 6-0-0 record for the second time in franchise history on Tuesday night.
The Boston Bruins closed out – and swept – their four-game road trip with a 3-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at the United Center, improving to a 6-0-0 record for the second time in franchise history.
Milan Lucic was sidelined for a second consecutive game after suffering a lower body injury against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night. The veteran winger left Tuesday morning’s skate early and was replaced by Patrick Brown on the fourth line who skated with Johnny Beecher and Jakub Lauko.
In the second meeting between the two teams this season, the Blackhawks came centimeters away from taking a first period lead, but the Connor Bedard power play goal was ultimately overturned for offsides – and Charlie Coyle was thanking his lucky stars for that call.
Coyle had the puck down low in the right corner, and no-look backhanded it right to the 18-year-old phenom in the slot who ripped it past Jeremy Swayman at 13:16 for what would’ve been Bedard’s third of the young season.
While in the end, the turnover didn’t cost Boston on the scoreboard, it was a wake up call to pay attention to the details, which the squad started to do more of in the second period.
The B’s cashed in at 3:50 of the middle frame with a Pavel Zacha tipped tally – his first goal of the season – assisted by Kevin Shattenkirk from the point who logged his first point as a Bruin on the play that made it 1-0.
The Blackhawks were held to seven shots on goal in the second period to Boston’s 18. The Bruins played sound defense, clogged up the neutral zone and took time and space away from Chicago who could get very little going.
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery gave Matt Poitras – who centered the second line with Jake DeBrusk and Morgan Geekie – some first line minutes between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, swapping the 19-year-old pivot with Zacha for stretches at a time.
Poitras potted his third goal in two games on the breakaway after stripping Corey Perry of the puck on the other end and beating Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrázek glove-side for a 2-0 advantage at 15:54 of the final period.
Trent Frederic quickly extended the Bruins’ lead less than a minute later, knocking in a greasy rebound on the doorstep to make it 3-0 with James van Reimsdyk and Coyle getting the assists on the goal.
The Bruins held it down for the rest of the third period, sweeping their road trip and heading back to Boston with an undefeated record.
Other notes: The power play struggled for Boston, going 0-for-4 on the night while the penalty kill went 3-for-3. Swayman, in his third start of the season, made 23 stops for the 10th shutout of his career.
The Bruins will next face the Anaheim Ducks at TD Garden on Thursday with a 7p.m. puck drop.