This afternoon at the TD Garden, the Bruins (32-15-7 overall, 17-7-3 home) wasted a great opportunity to gain two more points against the Rangers (27-23-6 overall, 13-12-3 away) who knew coming into the tilt that it was their last game of the 2021 season. After a scoreless first period, Boston and New York both scored a goal in the second period and the B's took a 2-1 lead early in the third period before it all went to hell and they ended up losing 5-4. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (18 saves, 14-5-2) allowed all five goals but this was more of a function of Boston's defense falling apart around him than him melting down on his own. The Islanders (32-17-6) beat the Devils (19-29-7) 5-1 tonight which means that they are only one point behind the Bruins for third-place in the East Division while Boston has one game in hand.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead at 6:21 of the second period as defenseman K'Andre Miller's wrist shot the point found its way through traffic and by Rask who barely moved. Rookie winger Justin Richards (1st NHL point) and center Filip Chytil had the assists on Miller's fifth goal of the season. Bruins left wing Nick Ritchie won the Seventh Player Award before the game (given to the guy who most exceeds the expectation of the fans) and he proved them right as he tied it at one. His career-high 15th goal of the season came at 18:12 and it was assisted by winger Jake DeBrusk and BU's Charlie McAvoy. The puck bounced off the end boards right to Ritchie who was parked at the side of the net where he was able to put it in before Rangers goaltender Keith Kinkaid (28 saves) was able to react in time to stop it.
Boston briefly was up 2-1 as right wing David Pastrnak scored his 200th career goal 21 seconds into the last frame. Left wing Brad Marchand had the lone assist on Pasta's 20th goal of the season. From there, New York exploded for three goals in the span of 4:14. Center Mika Zibanejad tied it at two then a pair of rookie forwards-Alexis Lafreniere and Vitali Kravtsov-gave them a shocking 4-2 advantage. Marchand cut it to 4-3 with a power play goal on a backhander (his team-leading 28th tally of the season) at 14:08 from center David Krejci but Zibanejad answered with an insurance goal to put it out of reach at 5-3. Captain Patrice Bergeron trimmed New York's lead to 5-4 at 18:39 with his 23rd goal of the season (re-directing Matt Grzelcyk's shot with McAvoy getting the other helper) but the home team eventually ran out of time.
The B's have an optional practice tomorrow before they host the Islanders (11-13-3 away this season) on Monday (7, NESNplus) in the regular season home finale. That's the beginning of a back-to-back for Boston as they go to DC on Tuesday (7, NESNplus) to face the Capitals (35-15-5 overall, 16-8-3 home) at the Verizon Center in their last regular season game. I'm guessing that Rask will start one of those contests while rookie goaltender Jeremy Swayman should get the other. With all due respect to Jaroslav Halak who has had a nice few years with the Bruins, it's time for him to officially drop to third on the depth chart for Boston once the playoffs start sometime next week.
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