Bruins Rally From 2-0 Deficit But Eventually Fall 3-2 in Overtime to Red-Hot Oilers

Most people outside of Edmonton probably aren't aware of this but believe it or not, the Oilers (14-15-2) are the hottest team in the NHL. They picked up their sixth straight win tonight, a 3-2 overtime victory at TD Garden against the Bruins (16-9-4). Edmonton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period then Boston eventually tied it with a goal in the second and a goal in the third before defenseman Andrej Sekera won it 41 seconds into overtime. This was a bitter loss for the Bruins since they fired a season-high 49 shots on Cam Talbot (47 saves).

This was the third straight time that Boston and Edmonton have gone to overtime and the Oilers improved to 2-0 against the Bruins this season after winning in a shootout at home a few weeks back. The B's fell to 1-3 in overtime this season and 1-1 in shootouts. Jordan Eberle (1 goal, 2 assists) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1 goal, 1 assist) showed off some of their immense talents in the win. Eberle scored at 8:29 of the first period after the puck bounced off the back boards to him and he was able to beat Jonas Gustavsson (21 saves) from a tight angle. Eberle's seventh goal of the season was assisted by BU's Eric Gryba and Brandon Davidson.

After Zdeno Chara fell, Eberle fed Nugent-Hopkins for an easy goal at 13:58 of the first. Nikita Nikitin had the other assist on Nugent-Hopkins' eighth goal of the season. Some puck luck finally went Boston's way at 13:29 of the second period as Matt Beleskey's stuff shot went in off Talbot after the goaltender kicked it back with his leg pad. Beleskey has been snake-bitten most of the way in his first season with the Black and Gold so he probably deserved this after playing well for weeks. David Krejci and Chara assisted on Beleskey's fourth goal of the season.

Brad Marchand is starting to put together an All-Star type resume in 2015-16 so predictably he was the Bruin that tied it up with 4:38 left in regulation. The play actually looked offside and was reviewed but stood up for his team-leading 15th goal of the season. Landon Ferraro and Patrice Bergeron assisted on Marchand's shot that went up under the bar over Talbot's blocker (with a defenseman possibly screening him as well).

As noted in the records, overtime still doesn't seem to agree with Boston. In fact, after losing the opening faceoff in the extra session, the Oilers had the puck in the Bruins' end the entire time. Sekera's initial shot went off of Torey Krug (who was tied up in front) then with all the extra space he was able to collect the rebound and put it in for his third goal of the season. Eberle and Nugent-Hopkins assisted on the overtime game-winner that had to make former Bruins GM/current Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli smile.

Up next, the Bruins have a home-and-home with the Penguins (15-11-3) who lost head coach Mike Sullivan's debut 4-1 tonight against Washington. Pittsburgh is in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and 3-4-3 in their last 10 games. Wednesday (8, NBCSN) at the Garden will be the first matchup of the season.

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Bruins Beat Hurricanes 3-2 in OT on Krejci's Goal

It shouldn't have gone to overtime in the first place, mainly because the Hurricanes stink, but at least the Bruins were able to fully wake up in the extra session as David Krejci scored at 1:28 to end the proceedings. Boston (15-6-2) remains in first place in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Penguins and the B's actually have a game in hand on Pittsburgh as well.

Krejci hadn't scored a goal in his previous seven games so his fourth of the season had to be a little extra sweet given the drought and the way it wrapped up a game for his club. Jarome Iginla did much of the work by getting Cam Ward (35 saves) to commit then sliding it back to Krejci who waited out Ward before roofing the puck. Johnny Boychuk had the second assist.

It's hard not to hate Saturday afternoon games at TD Garden since they are usually terrible and the B's never play any good teams at that unappealing time slot in front of a mostly lifeless (I blame all the children) crowd. Today's contest featured Boston's backup goaltender Chad Johnson (22 saves) vs. Carolina (8-10-5), are you not entertained? The Hurricanes put up more of a fight than Monday on their home ice (a 4-1 loss) but where did that get them? Actually, I take that back. They "earned" that lame point just for getting to overtime.

Andrej Sekara opened the scoring at 5:53 of the first period with a cheap power play goal. His weak wrist shot from the point didn't get tipped or anything wild but it still found its way past Johnson.

"Mr. Power Play" Zdeno Chara answered with a-you guessed it-power play goal, his fourth of the season (all his goals have come on the man advantage). It was one of the few mistakes made by Ward as he kicked out a rebound on Milan Lucic's shot and Chara was there to hit it in. Torey Krug-another power play specialist-had the second assist as Boston took a 2-1 lead.

Somehow someway (thanks Snoop Dogg) youngster Reilly Smith keeps finding ways to contribute offensively. Today, he slipped a backhander past Ward at 13:31 of the second period. That was Smith's fourth goal of the season. The motley crew of Carl Soderberg and Matt Bartkowski assisted on Smith's tally.

A turnover in Carolina's end on the power play led to a breakaway by something called Patrick Dwyer. He tied it at two at 11:10 with his unassisted shorthanded goal.

Mercifully, these teams only meet once more this season (March 15 in Boston). I'm way more interested in the Bruins' next heavily anticipated game: on Monday (7, NESN) vs. the Penguins (15-9-0, 1st in Metropolitan Division). They met on October 30 in Pittsburgh, a game the home team captured 3-2. This should be fun since it is the first time Pittsburgh has been in the Garden since they were swept in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Oh and Iginla changed sides in this fresh new rivalry.

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It's Been Over A Month & Counting Since The Bruins Last Won Consecutive Games

It might have something to do with the fact that I watched the game on DVR or more likely, that I knew the final outcome before I started but tonight's Bruins game in Buffalo was a boring one.

Boston (36-20-3) fell 2-1 in a shootout to the Sabres (27-27-7) at the First Niagara Center.

After beating them the first two times this season, the B's have dropped the last two against their Northeast Division rival. Fear not, there are two more meetings remaining in the regular season.

All this loss signified to me was that Boston continues to play inconsistently. After the high of a great win in St. Louis on Wednesday, they didn't have the same juice tonight for whatever reason.

Tuukka Rask (26 saves; 11-9-2) lost his sixth straight game but it wasn't his fault at all since he gave up one goal in 65 minutes.

Ryan Miller (35 saves; 19-17-4) was busier and he got it done in the shootout by stopping three shots and only allowing a goal by David Krejci. Thomas Vanek (noted Bruins killer) and Derek Roy (game-winner) had the shootout goals for the Sabres.

Andrej Sekera (3rd of the season) had Buffalo's tally in regulation, at 14:45 of the second period. Brad Marchand lost track of him and the Sabres defenseman took advantage by skating up from the blue line and putting it into the side of the net. Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford had the assists.

B's captain Zdeno Chara (9th of the season) scored his first goal in nine games and it was of the power play variety. His laser from the point tied it at one just 3:36 into the third.

Boston concludes its six-game road trip (2-2-1 so far) tomorrow night in Ottawa. Back-to-back contests is a tough way to end it but the numbers favor the B's: they're 3-0 (14-8 point differential) against the Senators in 2011-12. With two points in their pocket would be a nice way for the Bruins to return home to Boston-a place they haven't seen in almost two weeks.

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