NEW YORK — The Boston Bruins led the New York Rangers in shot attempts on Thursday, 77-49. Interim coach Joe Sacco assembled a new No. 1 line of Brad Marchand, Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak to start the second period. The trio helped the Bruins outshoot the Rangers at five-on-five by a 12-4 margin when they were on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick. The high-volume Bruins put enough pucks on net for more than one of them to go in.
Jonathan Quick had something to do with that.
“Pretty cool moment to see vintage Quickie, still playing against him,” Jeremy Swayman said following the Bruins’ 2-1 loss. “He’s a guy that’s had success in this league because of the work he’s put in and the kind of human being he is. That’s someone I want to be when I grow up. I think he’s well deserving of tonight’s win. Good for him. I love watching him play.”
Quick revolutionized not only American goaltending but NHL puckstopping with his down-low speed and mouth-dropping athleticism. The 38-year-old is a throwback now amid younger goalies who stand tall and hold their feet.
But Quick, the Rangers’ temporary No. 1 with Igor Shesterkin on injured reserve, can still pull rabbits out of his hat. In the second period, he stuffed Mark Kastelic, Justin Brazeau and Johnny Beecher on three successive chances. He ended the flurry by snatching Beecher’s shot with his glove while lying on his stomach.
Later in the second, Charlie McAvoy lurked low for a close-range shot. Quick denied McAvoy with a last-ditch kick out with his right pad.
“He played good,” said Lindholm, the lone Bruin to beat Quick. “He made some big stops. But we scored one goal last game too. We had some more chances. In this league, it’s hard to score. We’ve got to find a way to score more than one goal again.”
Elias Lindholm gets Boston on the board. 👏 pic.twitter.com/oLPc140bzN
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 3, 2025
The Bruins lost their first game of their three-stop trip against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, 3-1. They have slipped to 2.58 goals per game, fourth-fewest in the league. The Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators, the three clubs with even less firepower than the Bruins, have practically waved the white flag on 2024-25.
Sacco knows the spitballs the Bruins are firing are not good enough. So after one period on Thursday, with his team down 2-0, Sacco put his three highest-paid forwards together. Pastrnak had been playing with Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha. Marchand and Lindholm had been on the second line with Charlie Coyle.
“They generated some chances tonight,” Sacco said of his new top line. “They had some zone time. I thought they had some good looks. It’s frustrating. Obviously we’re not scoring right now at the level we want to be. Not from lack of some opportunities. We’re just not finishing right now.”
The move worked in the second. Pastrnak, from below the goal line, spotted Lindholm sneaking far post. Pastrnak’s pass appeared to deflect off a body and onto Lindholm’s stick. The way the line controlled the puck, Lindholm’s goal at 7:57 should have been the start of their offense instead of the end.
“We could have way more than one goal,” said Pastrnak. “I thought we had the chances. It was a good switch. Obviously we weren’t going as well offensively the last couple games. Scored only one goal each. I think both lines had good chances. Goalie played too well today.”
The Bruins will require perfect goaltending until they straighten out their offense. It is a big ask. In the first period, after a collision with Nikita Zadorov left McAvoy without his stick, Swayman had to come out to play the puck. It didn’t go well.
Swayman didn’t get enough behind his clear. Chris Kreider kept the puck in the zone and fed Mika Zibanejad in the high slot. Swayman stopped Zibanejad’s shot, but Reilly Smith was first on the rebound. Smith backhanded the puck to Zibanejad to slam home.
Later in the first, following Mason Lohrei’s ill-timed pinch, the Rangers got away for a two-on-one rush. Andrew Peeke took away Brett Berard’s cross-ice pass to Will Cuylle. Berard didn’t need it. He blew the puck past Swayman from inside the right faceoff dot.
“Odd-man rush,” Swayman said. “Just got beat.”
(Photo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
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