Talking Points from the B's 2-1 OT loss to the Canucks

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For the second straight game, the Bruins salvaged a point on the road in Western Canada. Here's my biggest talking points from Saturday's overtime loss in Vancouver:

GOLD STAR: Got to give it to Bo Horvat, who played a very strong all-around game for the Canucks. It was Horvat that finished off a 2-on-1 rush during the 3-on-3 overtime, when he connected on a pass from Brock Boeser to get the win for Vancouver. It was also Horvat that leveled Joakim Nordstrom with a hard hit in the second period as the B’s forward was playing a puck in mid-air, and then fought Noel Acciari when he came looking to defend his Bruins teammate. Acciari left the exchange bloodied after a couple of heavy punches from Horvat. In all Horvat finished with a goal and a plus-1 rating in 20:36 of ice time, with five shot attempts and a couple of registered hits. Horvat brought the physical thump and the skills to the table in the win for Vancouver.

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BLACK EYE: Matt Grzelcyk did finish with an assist on Boston’s only goal in the game, but he also was the main culprit in the first period goal scored by Vancouver. It was Grzelcyk that couldn’t corral a puck between his legs right in front of the net, and then watched helplessly as Brandon Sutter took the puck from him and slid a shot past Jaroslav Halak. Grzelcyk and Urho Vaakanainen struggled as a pair together Saturday, with both players still showing their relative youth out on the ice, and Grzelcyk definitely failing to make a play when the Bruins got scored on in regulation. Grzelcyk played 21:07 of ice time in the loss, missed the net with four of his six attempted shots and had a couple of giveaways including the one that led to Vancouver’s first goal.

TURNING POINT: The Bruins outshot the Canucks by a 10-8 margin in the third period and really turned on the jets to tie things up in the final 20 minutes, but they couldn’t take that energy and urgency into the overtime session. Instead they once again allowed two of the opponent’s best players to gain entry into the offensive zone with speed, and this time it was Brock Boeser feeding Bo Horvat on a 2-on-1 for the easy finish in the extra session. With the Bruins missing both Charlie McAvoy and Torey Krug to injuries right now, they are going to struggle in the 3-on-3 overtime sessions without their best puck-moving D-men.  

HONORABLE MENTION: Joakim Nordstrom has now totaled his entire season output for goals scored from last year with his second goal of the season for the Bruins. Again, it was a big goal for Nordstrom, bombing down the right wing on the third period and then wiring a shot past Jakob Markstrom for the game-tying score that sent the Bruins into overtime. Nordstrom in general was very good for the Bruins while centering the third line as a stand-in for the injured David Backes. He finished with a shot on net, two hits and two blocked shots in 14:11 of ice time while playing his heady, poised brand of hockey as a veteran NHL player. As has been remarked previously, it’s amazing to see how much Nordstrom has already contributed to the Bruins, considering how little fanfare he arrived with in Boston when he signed as a free agent on July 1.  

BY THE NUMBERS: 3 – The number of players that the Bruins lost prior to Saturday night’s game in Vancouver as Charlie McAvoy (not feeling well after taking a hit vs. Edmonton), Kevan Miller (hit in hand by a shot) and David Backes (not feeling well after taking high hit vs. Edmonton) were all out against the Canucks. It sounds like both McAvoy and Backes could be dealing with concussions, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.  

QUOTE TO NOTE: “We were a little too perimeter in the first period. You’ve got to get your nose dirty to score goals in this league. I thought we did a better job of that in the final 40 minutes.” –Bruce Cassidy, to NESN, about the adjustment the Bruins made throughout the overtime loss to the Canucks. 

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