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Bruins find their game in Game 3 victory

May 7, 2022, 9:59 AM ET [11 Comments]
Anthony Travalgia
Boston Bruins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Trailing 1-0 in Game 3 of their best-of-seven series with the Carolina Hurricanes, Erika Haula was sent to the box for tripping Hurricanes’ defenseman Tony DeAngelo.

After the Hurricanes converted on two of nine power play tries in Game 2, a power play tally to extend the ‘Canes lead to two could have been a death blow to the Bruins—especially given the way things went in the series’ first two games.

Instead, for the first time in the series the Bruins were able to sway momentum in their favor, Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle converting on an odd-man shorthanded rush.

"When JD [DeBrusk] and CC [Coyle] made that play shorthanded to get us back in the game, it just changed our whole demeanor, we've been playing catch-up all series,” Brad Marchand said.

From there, the Bruins were off and running.

The win was a collective effort, but in a must-win situation, the Bruins got key contributions from their top players.

Top players that lacked production in a pair of losses in Carolina.

The Bruins got goals by Charlie Coyle, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall en route to the 4-2 victory and now trail the series 2-1 with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.

“I felt engaged, it’s kind of been a while since I felt that,” Marchand said after notching his first five-on-five goal since Apr. 2. “I think the importance of the situation that we were in hit us all. The guys just seemed like they were prepared when they got to the rink tonight.”

Marchand wasn’t the only Bruin that was engaged in Game 3, a welcoming change from Game 1 and Game 2. Two of the Bruins’ four goals came on the power play, the Bruins first two power play goals of the series.

A pair of power play goals that came against the league’s top penalty kill.

"It takes a little bit. Sometimes some teams play a forward on you and some come with D to block. You have to always adjust a little bit to each side you're shooting at. They are a pretty good penalty kill but at the same time, our PP wasn't great, so it was getting a little bit in our head,” Pastrnak said.

“We stayed focused on our game plan, and through 60 minutes, I think we played a pretty good game.”

While it was Marchand, Hall and Pastrnak carrying the Bruins on the offensive night, no Bruins skater's night may have been more impressive than Derek Forbort who was a shot-blocking machine, finishing the night with nine(!) blocks.

The magnitude of some of those blocks made it feel like much more than nine.

“He's one of those guys that plays a game that guys don't want to play,” said Marchand. “He sacrifices every night for the group, puts his body in harm's way.”

Part of what made Forbort such an attractive option to the Bruins was his willingness to block shots, doing so at a frequent rate.

In the Bruins’ biggest game of the season, Forbort came through with that promise, delivering the exact type of game the Bruins needed from him.

"He really showed his value tonight. He's a popular guy,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He is very quiet, doesn't say much, talks about him and his dog, his simple life, but he's got personality when you get to know him. Guys root for guys like that.”

Cassidy turned to Jeremy Swayman in Game 3, the rookie making his first playoff start. While Carolina’s second goal was one Swayman should have saved, at the end of the day he gave the Bruins what they needed between the pipes, making several big saves.

Quite frankly, saves they failed to get in their previous two games.

"I thought he played great, he made some huge saves at timely moments of the game where it could've changed the outcome, he seemed to be very composed,” said Marchand.

“It's a high-pressure game tonight. We knew the magnitude of the game and he came in; he was prepared. But I think that's what we kind of expected from him.”

The win was the Bruins first against the Hurricanes this season, Carolina dominating the Bruins in the regular season and through the first two games of the series.

But now, for the first time in the series the Bruins have momentum and have several positives to draw off entering Game 4.

“Obviously, they had the edge on us during the regular season, but the playoffs is a whole different animal,” Pastrnak said. “It’s two great hockey teams facing each other in the playoffs.”

The Bruins hope to be great again in Game 4
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