Boston Bruins Give Up Third-Period Lead, Lose 4-3 in Overtime to Minnesota Wild
Brad Marchand popped the puck out of a scrum in front of the Minnesota Wild net and wristed it home to tie Tuesday night’s game 3-3 with just over a minute remaining in the third period, forcing overtime.
However, overtime shouldn’t have been necessary for the Boston Bruins to secure two points. For the second consecutive game, the B’s entered the final 20 minutes of regulation with a one-goal lead just to see it dissipate into a loss.
Kirill Kaprizov’s second goal of the night at 2:54 of the 3-on-3 extra hockey sealed the comeback, 4-3 win for the Wild at TD Garden.
“My concern and our concern is about our team,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I don’t like the plays to the slot that we are giving up, and I don’t like the rebound chances that we’re giving up. It’s areas that we’ve got to clean up.”
Dec 19, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) (center) is congratulated by defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (29) and center Pavel Zacha (18) after scoring his second goal against the Minnesota Wild during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
While David Pastrnak had a two-goal performance, Linus Ullmark made 26 saves and the fourth line rediscovered its spark, it was the smaller lapses that let this one fall through the Bruins’ fingers.
“I think it just comes down to making little mistakes. It’s a hard league to win in and we just kind of get away from our game at times,” Johnny Beecher said. “Just kind of take onus on us players and know we have to be better – especially down the road when you need to close out games. Things gotta change.”
Wild forward Marcus Johansson opened scoring in the first period on the power play with Jake DeBrusk in the box for slashing. Ullmark mishandled the rebound of Frederick Gaudreau’s initial wrister and the puck bounced out to the slot for Johansson to fire home for the 1-0 advantage at 7:44.
Jakub Lauko, and his fourth line with Beecher and Oskar Steen, was buzzing from the start. Lauko riled up the TD Garden crowd at 7:48 by dropping the gloves with Connor Dewar. After taking Dewar down, the 23-year-old winger paraded to the penalty box while whooping his arms up and down.
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Dec 19, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Jakub Lauko (94) fights with Minnesota Wild center Connor Dewar (26) during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
“It was great, it got us into it and I thought we picked up our intensity after that. They had just scored and I thought that we were a little flat, so he picked us up,” Montgomery said.
Pastrnak then tied things 1-1 at 11:29 off a strong play on the rush by Beecher. Beecher held onto the puck and bodied his way past Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian along the boards before dropping it to Pastrnak on the right side to rip past goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
“I thought Beecher had a couple of huge hits, made a great play using his athletic ability and skating to set up ‘Pasta’ on the first goal,” Montgomery said.
Pastrnak beat the buzzer and buried his second goal of the night and 19th of the season at 19:59 of the opening frame, giving the Bruins a late 2-1 lead. Pavel Zacha – in his first game back from injury – won a battle near the right circle and swung the puck down low before dishing it over to Pastrnak on the left doorstep who wired it in.
“I love playing with ‘Pav.’ We’re trying to get better every game and just communicate,” Pastrnak said.
After a scoreless second period, a rebound goal from Kaprizov at 13:12 of the third tied it 2-2, and Ryan Hartman grabbed the 3-2 lead for Minnesota at 15:10 from the un-protected slot. Despite Marchand’s late man-advantage heroics to make it 3-3, the Bruins couldn’t finish the job in overtime.
“It’s definitely a game we should’ve [won], and it’s a tough loss for us,” Pastrnak said. “Try to regroup tomorrow, have a good practice. I think two days of practice, so kind of reset and go out there and try to get two wins obviously before holiday break.”
The Bruins will be back in action Friday against the Winnipeg Jets for a 8 p.m. puck drop at Canada Life Centre.
