Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand led the way with a natural hat trick in the third period to give the Bruins a 3-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Bruins Postgame:
CLUTCH: Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand seemed bewildered and a bit ticked off when reporters peppered him about his team’s three-game losing streak and his, at the time, four-game pointless streak. It turned out, as Marchand told the media postgame on Sunday night, that his grandmother passed away late last week, too. Well, as good leaders do, Marchand has channeled that sadness and frustration onto the ice and is suddenly on fire.
After scoring the overtime winner in a 4-3 win over the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday night, the Bruins captain put a tired Bruins squad on his shoulders in the third period.
With the Bruins trailing 1-0 after two periods, Marchand scored a natural hat trick in 5:50 and the third-fastest hat trick (7:46) to start a period in team history.
Marchand tied the game 1:56 into the final frame and then put the Bruins up 2-1 on the powerplay 5:37 into the third period. Just 2:19 later, with the Bruins on another powerplay, the hats were flying as Marchand completed the natural hat trick, and the Bruins were up 3-1.
BANGER: Sorry, Brandon Carlo haters, but No. 25 is your banger for a second-straight game. The Bruins defenseman finished the game with four hits, a blocked shot, and two shots on net.
DOGHOUSE: What the heck is the deal with the Boston Bruins giving up goals in the opening two minutes and final two minutes of a game? They did the latter for a second-straight game on Sunday night and have now done so seven times this season. This time, it was Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner who scored with 35 seconds left in the second period and capitalized on the Bruins’ lack of concentration as time dwindled.
UNSUNG HERO: Another Boston Bruins player who seems to get plenty of hate here in the comments section is defenseman Charlie McAvoy. While that baffles this puck scribe, considering everyone in and around the NHL considers the Bruins alternate captain an elite NHL defenseman, I do get how players being paid a lot are held to a high standard. I guess my question is: why do so many now judge defensemen by points? Once again, on Sunday, McAvoy was that elite defenseman and the best rearguard on the ice. He played a game-high 24:30, had two assists, four shots, and three blocked shots, including a huge and painful one in the final seconds.
Boston Bruins Lineup
Forwards
Jake DeBrusk-Pavel Zacha-David Pastrnak
Brad Marchand-Charlie Coyle-Danton Heinen
James van Riemsdyk-Matt Poitras-Trent Frederic
Jakub Lauko-Johnny Beecher-Morgan Geekie
Defensemen
Matt Grzelcyk-Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort-Kevin Shattenkirk
Goalies
Linus Ullmark
Jeremy Swayman
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