What we learned from the Bruins’ 7-1 win over the Hurricanes
Patrice Bergeron and the Bruins stayed hot despite their opponent.
COMMENTARY
Even another hot team couldn’t stop the Boston Bruins.
Behind a five-goal first period outburst and Patrice Bergeron’s four-goal night, the Bruins kept their hot streak intact as they cooled off the Carolina Hurricanes – who came to TD Garden with a 7-2-1 mark in their last 10 games – in a 7-1 victory.
Here is what we learned as the Bruins extend their point streak to 10 games (8-0-2).
The Bruins’ depth was front and center in the first 20 minutes
Not one, not two, not three, not four…
What a first period it was. See all five goals right here: pic.twitter.com/xSn1rFmwqW
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 7, 2018
This is one time where the basic statistics, advanced stats and the naked eye test correlate with each other.
The only first period stat that went against the Bruins were shots on goal. Carolina had 12 on net compared to Boston’s eight through 20 minutes.
Both teams tallied power-play goals. Jordan Staal scored at 7:09 on the man advantage while David Pastrnak counted on Boston’s PP opportunity just 1:55 later to give the Bruins the 3-1 lead. Pastrnak’s goal, his 16th of the year, broke a 10-game goal drought.
Everything else favored the Black and Gold. They were in the driver’s seat from the time Bergeron scored his first of the game – shorthanded at 3:14 – to his second at 14:34 and never looked back.
Bergeron’s second goal marked his 700th career point. The veteran tallied the primary assist on Pastrnak’s power play one-timer.
Pastrnak and Bergeron were two of 10 Bruins who tallied a point during the opening 20 minutes. Riley Nash and Jake DeBrusk each added a goal, while Brad Marchand notched a pair of assists. Kevan Miller, David Backes, Danton Heinen, David Krejci and Ryan Spooner each had one assist to cap off the scoring.
One more stat line from the opening stanza: the Bruins had nearly twice as many goals (five) than the Hurricanes goaltending tandem of Cam Ward and Scott Darling had saves (three).
Not bad for a team that played in their first game since Tuesday.
“I think we were eager to play,” B’s defenseman Torey Krug said postgame. “We were playing a lot of hockey, and to have a few days off when you’re feeling pretty good is tough. You obviously want to get back in game action, and that first period was indicative of that.”
Bergeron adds another accolade
It was a decent night for Patrice Bergeron. pic.twitter.com/IYC9RCcemE
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 7, 2018
Jan. 11, 2011 marked Bergeron’s first career hat trick. The Bruins captured the Stanley Cup five months later.
Nearly seven years to the date, Bergeron notched career hat trick No. 2 with his 15th of the year at 5:36. Whether that results in Stanley Cup No. 7 for the Black and Gold is a story for another day.
Just 5:09 later, Bergeron became the first Bruin to score four goals in a game since Dave Andreychuk back on Oct. 28, 1999.
For a player battling an illness, Bergeron, with the help of Marchand, found time and space to deliver his four goals.
“I think it was one of those nights where the puck was going in,” Bergeron said. “I was finding that slot and it seemed like it was open and Brad [Marchand] kept finding me there, so he was doing a good job at making those plays and it seemed like I had a lane, so I was trying to take it.”
In terms of single-game performances, Bergeron’s four-goal effort has to rank near the top of his nearly 15-year stint in Boston. But there are a few other accomplishments that rank a little higher.
“It’s pretty impressive,” Marchand said about Bergeron’s latest accomplishment. “Being a part of this one and seeing him have the game he had was definitely up there.”
“I think winning the Olympics, winning the [Stanley] Cup, and him being Patrice Bergeron is above that,” Marchand added with a laugh.
Bruins distancing themselves from the bottom of the Atlantic Division
What a difference a year makes.
In the final month of the Claude Julien era, the Bruins were on the outside looking in of a playoff spot. Their days of being a fringe playoff team are a distant memory.
The Bruins sit at 52 points — good for second place in the Atlantic Division — entering their last game before the bye week Sunday in Pittsburgh. They’re only looking at one team in the rearview mirror, and that’s the Toronto Maple Leafs, who also sit at 52 points but have played four more games than the Black and Gold.
The Red Wings sit in fourth place — 11 points behind the Bruins.
Bruce Cassidy and company are due to cool off. But there’s no question that the Bruins bench boss has his team playing inspiring hockey.
“It’s more about us. We want to play our game and it’s working out well for us,” Cassidy said. “I’m not going to lie to you, I’m a coach. I look at the standings, but it’s early to get too preoccupied with that. We just want to play well and win and keep climbing up [the standings].”
