Poitras Pots A Pair as B’s Rally in Anaheim

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Matt Poitras could feel it coming.

After a couple of near misses on point-blank chances earlier in the third period, the rookie pivot finally broke through later in the frame – at the most convenient of times.

The 19-year-old potted the first two goals of his career – the tying and winning tallies – to propel the Bruins to a 3-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night at Honda Center.

“I was getting a little frustrated,” said Poitras. “But I knew it was coming if I just kept going and kept buzzing along, I knew it would come eventually.”

That it did – on two occasions.

Poitras’ first goal came at 6:29 of the third when he knotted the game at 1 off a feed from Morgan Geekie from the slot. The play began in the Bruins’ end when Jake DeBrusk made a play off the wall to feed blue liner Ian Mitchell, who chipped a pass to Geekie through the neutral zone.

Geekie then centered a backhand feed to Poitras, who batted it in off of Anaheim goalie John Gibson for the tying tally.

“Really good,” said coach Jim Montgomery. “Loved how Poitras' line went out and got it right back. I thought it was a great play all around. JD made a great play on the wall to Mitchie, Mitchell sauced it over the Geekie, and what a pass by Geekie over to Poitras who buried it.”

Poitras admitted to being a bit tired to start the third period with the Bruins on the second end of a back-to-back, but his first career goal gave him all the juice he needed, as just under four minutes later, he struck again to give the Bruins a 2-1 advantage.

“It's pretty surreal,” he said. “Just seeing the puck go in the net, I was really excited. I don't really know what I did. I kind of blacked out a little bit. But super excited and super happy. It's a surreal feeling.”

On the second goal, Poitras was stationed just outside the crease as DeBrusk surged through the slot after taking a feed from Charlie McAvoy high in the Anaheim zone. DeBrusk then fired a shot that clanked off of Gibson and right to Poitras, who buried it to put the Bruins ahead with 9:40 to go.

“It was a great shift by Geeks, he worked it down low, kind of held on to it and then him and Matty working together, and it went up to the point,” said DeBrusk. “I just read it, three high…actually looked up at Charlie. He was just telling me after the game, apparently, he was open, so suck it Charlie, I made the right play.

“But no, I'm just kidding. I just tried to get it through. I don't think he saw the puck. I think he saved it and it worked out where I felt like our line was really clicking there and we were getting momentum. We were close a couple times.

“So, it was just a matter of getting that first one. Matt was in the right spot at the right time. That's why you go inside the inside the house.”

Which is exactly where you need to be to have long-term success in the NHL, Montgomery explained.

“If you're going to produce in this league, you got to be willing to play inside the dots,” said Montgomery. “And that's what I love about him is whether it's 1-on-1 battles in the corners or getting to the hard areas, he's willing to go to areas where you're gonna have success.”

Per NHL Stats, Poitras (19 years, 226 days) became the fifth-youngest Bruin over the last 30 years to record their first multi-goal game: David Pastrnak (18 years, 230 days on Jan. 10, 2015), Phil Kessel (19 years, 107 days on Jan. 17, 2007), Patrice Bergeron (18 years, 172 days on Jan. 12, 2004) and Sergei Samsonov (19 years, 164 days on April 9, 1998).

“He's a hockey player, he competes. He believes in himself. He's always looking to hang on to pucks and make plays that are going to produce offense.

“I think it's instinct. I think he has a nose for the puck, the puck kind of follows him around and that's what happens with guys that are good offensive hockey players, they got a nose for where the puck's going.”

Wait, There’s More

• DeBrusk spoke to the media for the first time since being scratched on Saturday night in Los Angles for being late to a team meeting. The winger expressed remorse and said he was accepting of the team’s decision to sit him out against the Kings. “We have a high standard on this team,” said DeBrusk. “I broke a team rule and I understand that there's consequences with that. I own up to it completely. I let the guys down. I wanted to join them in L.A. [on Saturday]. Having to watch really sucked. I felt it. I just wanted to do anything I could to help the team out today in any way…I'm proud to be a Bruin and proud of the standards we have here."
• The Bruins are 5-0-0 to start the season, which is their second-best such streak behind a 6-0-0 start in 1937-38. “Three in four on the road with travel against an Anaheim Duck team that played really physical and with a lot of emotion,” Montgomery said of Sunday night’s win. “They had us on our heels in the first there physically. I think we got a little bit better as the game continued to go on. But it was a big win for us.”
• Linus Ullmark made 28 saves to improve to 3-0-0 on the season. “Our goaltending has been really good,” said Montgomery. “I think, probably, it's why we're unbeaten is because of the great job both of them [Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman] have been doing.”
• Milan Lucic took a couple of twirls around during warmups but quickly left the ice and did not play in Anaheim. The winger took a shot to the ankle ahead of Geekie’s goal on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
• Derek Forbort also sat out against the Ducks and is considered day-to-day. Kevin Shattenkirk re-entered the lineup and received an ovation from the crowd after a video tribute from the Ducks for whom he played the previous three seasons.