BOSTON — The Boston Bruins were down 3-2 with less than two minutes remaining Monday against the Dallas Stars. They were at risk of losing for the sixth time on their seven-game homestand.
Charlie McAvoy does not tremble in such moments.
With Jeremy Swayman off for a sixth attacker, McAvoy received a pass from Brad Marchand just inside the offensive blue line. Had McAvoy rushed a shot on net, Jake Oettinger would have been able to square up to the threat.
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McAvoy took his time.
By getting closer to the net, McAvoy forced Oettinger to respect his shot and put the Bruins’ other options on the back burner. As he sold shot, McAvoy whipped the puck into David Pastrnak’s left-circle office. Oettinger had gone down in anticipation of McAvoy’s shot. It never came. Pastrnak took care of business by burying his game-tying one-timer with 1:45 left in regulation.
TORTELLINI TO TIE IT UP 🍝 pic.twitter.com/81rpkEL1yK
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 19, 2024
In the shootout, coach Jim Montgomery used eight shooters — Marchand was the only one to score — before calling McAvoy’s name. Perhaps Montgomery should have been more prompt. McAvoy roofed a backhander over Oettinger for the deciding goal.
7️⃣3️⃣ setting it up for Sway. pic.twitter.com/O1dLKX1ls4
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 19, 2024
Craig Smith had the last chance to stretch out the shootout. But Swayman (43 saves) foiled the ex-Bruin to give Boston the 4-3 win.
“Something has to happen to get out of the malaise like we were in result-wise,” Montgomery said. “We got the great effort by our goaltender. Our six-on-five, our great players made great plays at a time where you need to tie the game.”
Montgomery had no choice but to ride McAvoy (game-high 29:39 of ice time). Hampus Lindholm, the Bruins’ No. 2 defenseman, was slow to get to his feet during a third-period puck battle. He played only two shifts in the third (18:09 total ice time) before exiting because of an undisclosed injury.
But McAvoy was feeling it throughout the game. In the first period, McAvoy retrieved the puck behind Swayman and started the breakout. It did not look like a dangerous sequence. But as three Stars tried to choke off McAvoy’s exit, the defenseman snapped a neutral-zone pass to an in-stride Anthony Richard. With one pass, McAvoy had initiated a three-on-two rush.
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As Richard scooted down the left wing, Jesper Boqvist accelerated on the other side. Richard hit Boqvist in front. Instead of tipping the puck, Boqvist pulled it to his forehand. He had enough space left to tuck the puck behind Oettinger to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
“I don’t think it’s going in if I one-touch it,” Boqvist said. “It just kind of happened. Nice to see that one go in.”
Boqvist was flying all day. The No. 4 center recorded his first multipoint game for the Bruins by assisting on newbie Justin Brazeau’s first NHL goal. In the second period, Boqvist mashed the gas while carrying the puck in the left corner. Once he separated from his checkers, Boqvist spotted Brazeau open in front. The No. 4 right wing received Boqvist’s pass and cranked the puck past Oettinger. Brazeau’s memorable sequence, apparently, was not so sticky.
“I kind of blacked out,” Brazeau said. “Richie asked me where it went. I said, ‘I have no idea.’ I just shot it and heard the crowd go crazy.”
Brazeau, the Bruins’ newest call-up, was never drafted. As recently as Dec. 8, 2021, the right wing was in the ECHL, playing for the Maine Mariners. The two-year, two-way contract Brazeau signed on Monday ($775,000 average annual value) was the first NHL deal of his career.
The 26-year-old from New Liskeard, Ontario, did not seem stressed by the occasion. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound widebody landed a team-high five shots on net.
“He wasn’t signed to an NHL deal. Keeps on working,” Montgomery said of Brazeau’s deferred NHL entry. “He was here every day in the summer. He lost I don’t know how many pounds, but he lost a significant amount to be able to show how much he wanted to be an NHL player. I just think it’s a great story for anyone who tells you you can’t do something or you’re not good enough, you’re not tall enough, you’re not smart enough. Whatever the case is, no one can tell you what you believe inside you. Give credit to the young man. Because I think he has a lot of intestinal fortitude.”
(Photo of Charlie McAvoy scoring the winning shootout goal on Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger: Winslow Townson / USA Today)
