Bruins Blitz Early, Survive Late Surge to Edge Golden Knights at Home
BOSTON - The Bruins didn’t waste any time reminding the league why TD Garden has become one of the toughest buildings to play in. Just two nights after a tough loss, Boston bounced back in emphatic fashion, exploding for three goals in under a minute and riding that early onslaught to a 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.
The win wasn’t pretty by the final horn, but for 40 minutes, the Bruins looked every bit the contender they believe they are.
Let’s break it down.
Power Play Sparks the Fire
The Bruins’ power play has had its ups and downs this season, but on Thursday night, it was dialed in.
Vegas, a team that rarely gives opponents many chances with the man advantage (they rank dead last in penalties taken), handed Boston a golden opportunity early with a double-minor. Tomas Hertl caught Alex Steeves up high, and Boston didn’t let it go to waste. In just 40 seconds of power play time, the Bruins cashed in twice.
Charlie McAvoy and Elias Lindholm each found the back of the net, with David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie picking up assists on both goals. For Lindholm, it was his sixth power play goal of the season - and his 17th point on the man advantage - as he continues to find his rhythm in Boston’s system.
“He’s one of those guys you trust,” head coach Marco Sturm said of Lindholm. “He’s in the right spot most of the time. I’m really pleased with how he’s playing.”
Fourth Line Chips In, Pastrnak Puts on a Show
The scoring didn’t stop there. Just seconds after the power play barrage, Boston’s fourth line kept the momentum rolling. Tanner Jeannot buried one to make it three goals in just 54 seconds - a jaw-dropping stretch that left Vegas reeling.
“All three of us play a simple game,” Jeannot said postgame. “We support each other well, try to play in the offensive zone as much as we can, and we got rewarded tonight.”
Jeannot’s goal marked his 19th point of the season - his highest total since his breakout 2021-22 campaign.
Boston wasn’t done yet. In the second period, David Pastrnak added a fourth goal with a highlight-reel finish. Nikita Zadorov did the heavy lifting, charging into the zone, shrugging off Hertl, and slipping a slick backhand pass to Pastrnak, who made no mistake.
It was a moment that showcased both Zadorov’s physicality and Pastrnak’s elite scoring touch - a combination that’s dangerous when it’s clicking like this.
Vegas Pushes Back, Bruins Hold On
Through two periods, Boston looked like they were on cruise control. They outshot Vegas 14-5 in the first, and by the time the second intermission rolled around, the Bruins had generated 27 shot attempts to the Golden Knights’ 11. The puck possession, the pace, the execution - it was all Boston.
But the third period reminded everyone why the Golden Knights are still a force.
Vegas came out swinging, scoring three goals in the final frame - two of them in a span of just 150 seconds. Jack Eichel got the rally started, followed by Hertl and then Pavel Dorofeyev, who scored late with the extra attacker on the ice.
“We kind of limped to the finish line there,” McAvoy admitted. “I’d love to see that game just end 4-0, and we can play, or even extend the lead just by doing it the right way.”
Still, credit where it’s due: the Bruins bent, but didn’t break.
Joonas Korpisalo, who’s quietly putting together a strong stretch, made 30 saves - including 18 in the third period alone - to earn his fourth straight win. He held the line when Boston needed him most.
“You know they’re coming,” Korpisalo said. “It’s a skilled team, and they have the guys who make the plays. You just got to grind it out.”
McAvoy’s Block Seals It
With the game on the line and Vegas pressing for the equalizer, it was McAvoy who stepped up - literally.
In the dying seconds, he absorbed a Jack Eichel slap shot with his leg, a gutsy block that helped preserve the win.
“Yeah, no, I’ll be sore,” McAvoy said, brushing it off. “But we say it in here - it was my turn.
Sometimes it’s your turn. You got to block that shot, and we got to see this thing through.
Two points is huge for us, and what this team’s trying to accomplish.”
Six Straight at Home, Eyes on Seven
The win marked Boston’s sixth straight at home - a streak that’s become a key part of their midseason surge.
“It was really important for us to capitalize on home ice,” McAvoy said. “We’ve been really good here, feeding off the fans.”
And on a night when the team celebrated Hockey for Everyone, the Bruins gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about - even if things got tense in the third.
Now, they’ll look to extend the streak to seven when they welcome the Montreal Canadiens for an Original Six showdown on Saturday. Rivalry games always carry a little extra juice, and with the Garden buzzing, Boston will be eager to keep the momentum rolling.