Bruins Push Back, But Fall to Flyers in Shootout
Boston overcomes two-goal deficit to grab point, but losing streak hits three
by Eric Russo @erusso22 / BostonBruins.com
BOSTON - The Bruins overcame a two-goal deficit to force extra time, but ultimately fell, 3-2, to the Philadelphia Flyers in a shootout on Sunday night at TD Garden. Boston has now dropped three straight games for the first time this season.
"I think there's times you're going to lack a little energy," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "The October schedule, I thought, was good for us. Even though we started on the road, it was every second night and I thought we were able to play through it. We got our appropriate rest, now we're a little more intense in games. So maybe it's starting to hit us a little bit.
"But we've got to fight through it, and I thought we did at the end. So that's got to be a little more of a mentality…we talked about some time we thought the residual effect of last year. Maybe it's kicking in earlier than we thought, I don't know. We'll talk to the players about that and see where it leads."
After falling behind, 2-0, in the first period, and landing just 10 shots on goal through 40 minutes, Boston slowly came out of its funk. The Bruins' offense rallied in the third, emerging with two goals - one each from Danton Heinen (5:59) and Brad Marchand (12:22) - to push the game to overtime, but was stymied in the shootout, as Joel Farabee's marker in the first round proved to be the winner for Philadelphia.
"I think we just got back to playing the game how we wanted," said Patrice Bergeron. "Way too many sloppy plays and turning back and not moving forward and when you do that everyone is kind of guessing on the ice and no one is really on the same page.
"That is what we saw in the first half of the game and we got a little better at that midway through the second and much better in the third. You talk a lot about playing for 60 and if you do that tonight, I would have liked our chances."
David Pastrnak had a chance to give the Bruins the lead when he was awarded a penalty shot with 4:56 remaining in regulation, but was turned away by Flyers goalie Carter Hart, who also stoned all three Boston attempts - including Pastrnak, once more - in the shootout.
"It's an 82-game season, there will be some ups and downs," said Bergeron. "I trust this team and I know it's in here and we have to just look at video and look at what we are doing wrong and realize that there are a lot of plays that we can win battles and be on the puck and keep it simple. I think that's the biggest key."
Video: Bruins Speak to Media After 3-2 SO Loss to Flyers
Another Wiped Away
The Bruins had a goal negated for the fourth time this season when a tally from Par Lindholm in the second period was wiped off the board for goalie interference. During a scramble on the doorstep, Lindholm pushed the puck over the line, appearing to pull Boston within a goal, 2-1, early in the middle frame.
As the Bruins celebrated, no whistle was blown, and no call was made on the ice. But the officials huddled near the scorer's table and after a discussion with the league via headset, it was determined that there had been goalie interference on the play because Lindholm's stick pushed Hart's pad over the line.
"The part I don't like is nobody in the building knows what's going on originally," said Cassidy. "There's no call. We're all standing around waiting while they huddle up. I've always felt like, 'Can you call something? Originally?' And there was no whistle, so to me, the puck crosses the line so then, what is it?
"They huddle up and they felt that our stick pushed the goalie's pad when the puck was up against it, over the goal line. So, do we challenge or not? We have two video guys, we have [goaltending coach Bob Essensa] upstairs. Their explanation - along with the ref's -was, yes, it was our stick. So, if you want to challenge it, go ahead. So now you've got people recommending you don't."
Video: BOS Recap: Bruins rally in third, lose in shootout
Krug Exits Early
Torey Krug suffered an upper-body injury in the closing minutes of the third period and did not play in overtime. The blue liner was not on the bench for the extra session and Cassidy said postgame that he had yet to speak with the training staff about the extent of the injury.
"We'll see how he is [on Monday]," said Cassidy.