In a matchup between the first- and last-place teams in the Atlantic Division, things hardly went according to plan for Boston. Still, the Bruins managed to fight back to earn their 30th win of the season.
The Boston Bruins’ 3-2 overtime victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday wasn’t easy on them. Boston gave up at least six power-play opportunities to its opponent for the tenth time this season. Brad Marchand’s overtime goal kept the game in the win column as Ottawa scored the last two goals to erase the 2-0 advantage Boston had established.
“Our group thought it was excellent. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery told reporters in Ottawa, “Our penalty killers, some guys have to get a lot of ice time in those situations and they battled through it.” And I thought it was good that we could resume our 5-on-5 match. I felt they came at us, especially after the first, but I also felt we really hung on to pucks and forced them to defend in the second and some of the third.
The number of times the Bruins have given up six power opportunities in a single game this season shows that playing down a man is nothing new to them, but Thursday felt different.
Although several Bruins players have talked about the necessity of avoiding the box, on Thursday it looked practically inevitable given the way the referees were calling the game in favor of the home club.
The Bruins maintained their composure going into overtime, despite giving up the lead with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. You could tell that this win meant more to the Bruins than other midseason games after a lengthy sequence that saw Senators forward Brady Tkachuk miss an open net on one end just before Marchand ended things on the other.