Bruins Gut Out Overtime Win Over Predators, But Lose Elias Lindholm to Injury
Back-to-back games in the NHL are never easy. Add in the fact that the Boston Bruins were skating on tired legs against a well-rested Nashville Predators squad, and Tuesday night at TD Garden had all the makings of a grind. And that’s exactly what it turned into - a gritty, hard-earned 3-2 overtime win that came with both a sigh of relief and a bit of concern.
Let’s start with the good: the Bruins found a way to get it done.
After coughing up a third-period lead the night before in New York, Boston entered the final frame once again nursing a one-goal edge. The Bruins were a perfect 24-0-1 when leading after two periods before that Rangers game.
But for the second night in a row, the third period proved problematic. This time, it was Nick Blankenburg who burned them, ripping a slap shot past Jeremy Swayman at 13:17 to tie things up.
But unlike the night before, the Bruins didn’t let it slip away entirely.
Just 15 seconds into overtime, David Pastrnak - as he’s done so many times before - played hero. It was a textbook finish: Charlie McAvoy found him in front, and Pastrnak redirected it home for the game-winner, securing Boston’s eighth straight win at home.
That’s the kind of response you want to see from a team with serious postseason aspirations. They were gassed, they gave up the lead, but they still found a way to grab that all-important second point.
Now, the not-so-good: Elias Lindholm didn’t finish the game.
Late in the second period, Lindholm took a face-off just outside Boston’s defensive zone and came away shaken up. He headed down the tunnel shortly after, and the team later confirmed he wouldn’t return due to an upper-body injury. It’s a tough blow for a player who’s already missed time this season after taking a big hit from Buffalo’s Jordan Greenway back in the fall.
Lindholm’s presence down the middle is a key piece of Boston’s two-way game, and any extended absence would be a significant loss - especially as the Bruins continue to navigate a tightly packed schedule.
The scoring got going early in this one. Hampus Lindholm opened the night with a first-period tally, and Morgan Geekie added his 30th of the season early in the second - a milestone worth pausing on. Geekie’s been a quiet but consistent contributor, and hitting the 30-goal mark is a testament to the work he’s put in this year.
Roman Josi got Nashville on the board with a power play goal late in the second, setting the stage for the third-period drama and overtime heroics.
All told, this was a gutsy win - the kind that doesn’t always show up pretty in the box score, but says a lot about a team’s resilience. The Bruins were running on fumes, but they dug deep, leaned on their stars, and got the job done.
They’ll get a bit of a breather before hosting the Flyers on Thursday night, but all eyes will be on Elias Lindholm’s status moving forward.