After exiting late in Saturday’s 5-2 win against the New Jersey Devils following a collision with Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy dished two assists on Sunday to help Bruins end 2023 with a win.
The Boston Bruins had a lot to celebrate following their 5-2 win against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, but there was one major concern: Charlie McAvoy’s health.
The Bruins star defenseman exited the game at 16:17 of the third period with an apparent lower-body injury after colliding with Ullmark while defending a short-handed rush. Having already missed four games to injury earlier this season, as well as four more to suspension, McAvoy seemed all but certain to miss more time after needing to be helped off the ice by the Bruins’ training staff.
Instead, the Bruins dodged a bullet, with Bruins coach Jim Montgomery announcing that McAvoy was “fine,” and that the collision only led to a “stinger.”
If there was any doubt about McAvoy’s status heading into Sunday, McAvoy put it to rest with three assists in Boston’s 5-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings.
The first gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead on Trent Frederic’s second goal of the night at 4:25 of the second period. Hampus Lindholm delivered a crucial back check after a blocked Brandon Carlo shot led to a Detroit rush the other way. Shortly after, Lindholm sent it up to McAvoy at Boston’s blue line, and McAvoy dished it off to Frederic, who streaked down the right side and fired it past Detroit goalie Alex Lyon from behind the face-off circle.
The Red Wings scored twice to tie it 2-2 by the end of the second period, but McAvoy set up Charlie Coyle to put Boston back ahead 3-2 at 3:52 of the third period. Coyle won the offensive zone face-off, which found its way to Brad Marchand. The Bruins captain sent it up to McAvoy, who skated in and centered it back to Coyle in the slot.
The third assist came on Jake DeBrusk’s empty-net goal at 17:59 of the third, which wound up being the winning goal. For the game, the Bruins outshot Detroit 9-5 at 5-on-5 with McAvoy on the ice, and outscored them 3-1.
The Bruins end 2023 on a three-game win streak, and their top defenseman came through to help deliver the win when less than 24 hours prior, it seemed like that wouldn’t be possible.