Bruins Banded Together In Impressive Win Over Caps

BOSTON - Every great team seems to have a defining moment over the course of a long and grueling season. And the 2020-21 Boston Bruins might just have had theirs on Friday night.
In normal times, a raucous TD Garden would still be rattling after the Black & Gold's impressive 5-1 beatdown of the Washington Capitals - but not because of a two-goal showing from Brad Marchand or the eye-popping assists from David Krejci and Matt Grzelcyk or the 31 saves from Jaroslav Halak.
On this night, it was the way in which the Bruins banded together for one of their teammates that would have had the Black & Gold faithful departing Causeway Street particularly proud of the hometown team.

Boston was off to a good start in the back end of a two-game set with the East Division-leading Capitals, who walked away with a 2-1 shootout victory on Wednesday night. The Bruins, losers of five of seven entering the night, were keen on putting forth a strong bounce-back effort and did well to send an early message with a strong first period that included a goal from Marchand with just over five minutes to play in the opening frame.
But it was what happened only moments later - and the response that followed - that may end up setting the tone for the remainder of the Bruins' season.
As Brandon Carlo battled for a loose puck in the corner to the right of Halak in the closing minutes of the first, Washington winger Tom Wilson surged in from the slot and landed a high and heavy hit, forcing the Boston blue liner's head into the glass. Carlo dropped to the ice and was tended to by the Bruins' medical staff, before eventually retreating to the dressing room under his own power.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said postgame that Carlo was transported to the hospital by ambulance.
No penalty was called on the play. That, of course, did not sit well with the Bruins.
"It's a fast game, they play hard, we play hard," said Cassidy. "But you could see it. He hit him clearly in the head…defenseless player, predatory hit from a player that's done that before. I don't understand why there wasn't a penalty called on the ice. They huddled up, but I did not get an explanation why. It's out of our hands after that.
"We've just got to play hockey and try to stick together as a team and play the right way. Sometimes when that happens and there's no call, the players settle it on the ice in their own way and we felt like we pushed back and did what we could do."
They did indeed, as the B's returned for the second period with a vengeance.When the teams returned to the ice, Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron approached Wilson to deliver what appeared to be a clear message that Boston did not appreciate what they believed to be a dirty hit on Carlo. Bergeron politely declined to reveal what he said to Wilson during his postgame remarks to the media.
"We were upset," said Cassidy. "Brando's a popular guy in the room. We felt it was completely unnecessary, dirty…this one I think the leadership group took over and said that we're gonna finish every check and push back…that's what they did."

That was made clear at the 6:12 mark of the second when newcomer Jarred Tinordi confronted Wilson and dropped the gloves in what turned out to be a fairly even heavyweight bout. It was a strong signal that despite having been around for less than a week, the veteran blue liner has come to understand quickly the bond that has existed in the Bruins' dressing room for years.
"What I noticed about this team as soon as I got here is that the boys are playing for each other night in and night out and how close this group is. Not surprised to see the boys respond in a big way after one of our guys goes down like that," said Tinordi.
"You can't have guys taking liberties with our guys out there. That's the way I've always played, that's the way a lot of players on the team play. You've got to recognize that. I thought it was a little bit of a cheap shot. Our guy goes down and we responded in a big way."
The scrap clearly set a fire under the Bruins - Marchand called it the "turning point of the game" - who responded just 31 seconds after the fight when Trent Frederic tapped home his third of the season from the top of the crease to give Boston a 2-0 lead.
From there, the rout was on.
Less than three minutes later, Bergeron ripped one home from the slot after some stellar puck movement off a rush through the neutral zone. After the goal, Bergeron went right to the penalty box to deliver a tap on the glass in appreciation of Tinordi's efforts.
"He's going to be the guy that's gonna lead it," Cassidy said of Bergeron. "He's gonna make sure that he sets the bar, and people will follow Patrice, trust me…he leads by example. He's become more vocal over the years, but it's usually on the ice with his work ethic, says the right things and people fall into place behind him. That's what happened tonight."
Boston added one more with 5:02 left in the second when Marchand notched his second of the game off a pinpoint cross-ice pass from Grzelcyk to put the Bruins up, 4-0. Nick Ritchie then got into the act just 1:05 into the third when he took a filthy backhand saucer feed from Krejci and ripped one by Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov, who took over for starter Vitek Vanecek following the fourth Bruins' goal.
"You hate to see a guy go down," said Marchand, who also picked up an assist. "Brando's a huge part of this team and he's a great player. Most importantly, you're concerned about his health. He was put in a bad spot, but the response was great. Guys went out and did their job.
"It didn't need to be said. They just took control and answered the bell. As a team, we played the right way after that. We didn't let it distract us or get us down. Obviously, we were thinking about Brando all game, but we did the job and took care of business on the ice."

In the third period, Wilson was asked to answer once again, this time by Frederic as the two danced for the second time this season after a number of encounters across this latest two-game set.
"What Jarred did and Freddy, as well, is something that doesn't go unnoticed," said Bergeron. "Very selfless and it's for each other, obviously, backing each other. That being said, it's also about how we play, how we react, and I thought it was a solid game all around from everyone.
"Doing it for Brando. He's a huge part of our team and he's been having our back for a while as well."