After having two games against Buffalo (4-4-2) postponed over the weekend due to a Covid-19 outbreak within the Sabres organization, the Bruins (9-1-2) were understandably a little rusty as they returned to action tonight at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers (4-5-3). They allowed the game's first goal and gave up a slim third period lead but they still managed to come away with a 3-2 overtime victory thanks to left wing Brad Marchand's sweet move on a breakaway. Boston kept pace atop the East Division as they improved to 8-0-1 in their last nine games and won the first meeting with New York this season.
Rangers rookie right wing Julien Gauthier staked his club to a 1-0 lead at 13:50 of the first period as he roofed a one-timer that was in close to the net from left wing Brendan Lemieux. Boston trailed 1-0 after the first but they tied it at one in the second period as Walpole's Chris Wagner used his speed to get in on a breakaway of his own and finish a forehand shot around Rangers goaltender Alexander Georgiev (29 saves, 1-2-2). Wagner's second goal of the season was unassisted and it came at 9:41. It was a sweet play for a guy that was unofficially benched in Boston's last game for taking a couple of penalties vs. Philadelphia (8-3-2). He also fought Northeastern's Anthony Bitetto in the third period after New York's defenseman for some reason took exception to a hard but clean hit.
Even though he gave up a pair of goals, Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (33 saves, 6-1-1) had one of his better performances of the season. Earlier in the second period with the home team on the power play, Rask made an incredible diving glove save on center Mika Zibanejad's re-direct from left wing Chris Kreider that normally is an automatic goal for a guy of that skill level. Boston went up 2-1 at 9:00 of the third period as left wing Anders Bjork beat Georgiev five-hole after a pretty feed from behind the night by the returning Jake DeBrusk (out since January 26 with a lower-body injury). Defenseman Kevan Miller added the second assist on Bjork's first goal of the season.
New York tied it at two on a strange play: defenseman Ryan Lindgren's fluttering shot was deflected by Lemieux then it hit Rask and fell on the goal-line where PC's Kevin Rooney was able to tap it in at 11:22. Rask immediately went to the refs complaining that Lemieux used a high stick but after a review, it stood up as Rooney's third goal of the season. It didn't take too long in overtime for the Bruins to grab their fourth straight win. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy broke up a 2-on-1 for New York and chipped the puck ahead to Marchand who made no mistake by flipping in a backhander for his team-leading eighth goal of the season. Center Patrice Bergeron notched the secondary assist on the goal which came only 36 seconds into the extra session.
These same clubs will meet again on Friday (7, NESN) at MSG. Backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak (3-0-1) hasn't played since February 1 against Washington (6-3-3) so I would expect him to get the call in this rematch against the Rangers. New York goaltender Igor Shesterkin (3-3-1) has appeared a little more often than Georgiev this season and he's been noticeably better leading me to believe that ex-BU head coach Dave Quinn will go to him for the second meeting with Boston. The Rangers are only a point ahead of the Devils (4-3-2) and Sabres who have both been paused for awhile now so they need to get some more points to create separation before New Jersey and Buffalo are back with a bunch of games in hand.
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