 seconds into the third,'' Bruins forward David Backes said. ''It's not a recipe for success.'' Jonathan Toews scored 54 seconds into overtime, and the Blackhawks recovered after blowing a three-goal, third-period lead to beat Boston 4-3 on Thursday night and end the Bruins' eight-game winning streak.''This team always plays good in their building,'' Toews said. ''It's unfortunate we kind of gave them the chances. ... It's nice to get the win, even though they turned the momentum their way in the third period.'' The Bruins had not lost since Nov. 16. But their third-period comeback preserved another streak: No Boston pro team has lost a home game in regulation since the Baltimore Orioles beat the Red Sox on Sept. 28.Neither the Patriots nor Celtics have lost at home this season, and the Bruins are now 12-0-5.''That's just high standards, trying to keep up with everyone else,'' Bruins defenseman Torey Krug said. ''We're very, very lucky to be part of such a great sports town. So we'll try to keep the momentum going.'' Toews picked up the puck after a turnover by David Pastrnak and skated in on Tuukka Rask before backhanding it between the goalie's legs. The crowd, which thought Pastrnak had been tripped, began showering the ice with garbage.''I thought it was a penalty,'' Pastrnak said. ''I had a free lane to the net.'' Robin Lehner made 37 saves for the Blackhawks, who had lost six of their previous seven games. Ryan Carpenter and Dylan Strome scored 37 seconds apart at the end of the first period, and Alex DeBrincat scored off the opening faceoff of the third period to make it 3-0.Tuukka Rask made 26 saves for the Bruins.The Bruins thought they opened the scoring early in the first period when Matt Grzelcyk's shot, which may have been tipped by Jake DeBrusk, found its way under Lehner's right pad and came to rest behind him, about six inches from the goal line. DeBrusk - and pretty much everyone else - stopped, thinking it was a goal, but when no whistle came Calvin de Haan swept the puck away and play continued.The Blackhawks, who went almost nine minutes before getting their first shot, took a 1-0 lead on a short-handed goal when Charlie McAvoy whiffed on the puck at the blue line and Carpenter skated off with it, passing to Zack Smith in the Bruins zone and then scoring on the rebound.Just 37 seconds later, on the power play, Strome tipped a shot from Erik Gustafsson over Rask's shoulder to make it 2-0. DeBrincat made it 3-0 17 seconds into the third.But that lasted just 1:32 before Joakim Nordstrom cut the deficit to 3-1. Chris Wagner made it 3-2 on an unassisted, short-handed wrist shot with 4:59 left, and then Krug tied it with 2:33 remaining in regulation.''They have really good players, they're a good team, they're at home. They're not going to go away,'' Chicago coach Jeremy Colliton said. ''They found a way to come back. That's disappointing. But it's a big point for us.'' NOTES: It was DeBrincat's first goal in 13 games. .... In addition to the Patriots (5-0) and Celtics (8-0), the New England Revolution won their final home game on Sept. 29. The Boston Pride of the National Women's Hockey League are 9-0 at home this season.NEXTBlackhawks: At New Jersey on Friday night.Bruins: Host Colorado on Saturday night.---More NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
The Boston Bruins have been playing with fire of late, as they ride an eight-game winning streak into a home matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.The Bruins extended their run -- and a 12-game points streak (9-0-3) overall -- with a 2-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday in which both goals came during the final five minutes of regulation. Boston has scored nine of its 10 goals in its last four games in the third period or later, the only outlier coming with 1:32 left in the second period of an overtime win over the New York Rangers last Friday."We know how to play when the game is on the line," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We're still focusing on our start."... No team is going to have it together for 60 minutes every night, we've talked about that. We're building like everyone else." The Blackhawks certainly have more to build on than most -- the team has lost six of its last seven (1-5-1) to fall to the cellar of the Central Division. Chicago is coming off a 4-0 shutout at the hands of the St. Louis Blues on Monday.In that game, the Blackhawks played a man short due to injuries and their current salary cap situation. Without room under the cap to maneuver, Chicago played 11 forwards and six defensemen."It is what it is. We got down on the score pretty early in the game. Sometimes you shorten your bench in those situations anyway," captain Jonathan Toews said. "It's something we're used to. It shouldn't be that big of a deal." Andrew Shaw (concussion) being scratched necessitated the unique circumstance, as he joined fellow forwards Dylan Strome (concussion) and Drake Caggiula (concussion), defenseman Duncan Keith (groin) and goaltender Robin Lehner (illness) in being unable to play. Strome, Caggiula and Lehner's availability will be evaluated prior to Thursday's game, while defenseman Olli Maatta is expected to play after missing practice Wednesday due to flu-like symptoms.With Lehner nearing return, Chicago re-assigned goaltender Kevin Lankinen to American Hockey League affiliate Rockford and recalled defenseman Dennis Gilbert.The Bruins could benefit from the return of one of their defensemen Thursday after John Moore practiced Wednesday and is nearing his season debut. Moore has been sidelined since shoulder surgery in June."[Thursday] morning we'll make those decisions, who's going to go in," Cassidy said. "We want to make sure he (Moore) got through a good practice today, a little more contact. If he's ready to go, then we'll have to make a decision whether he goes in or not." Forward Brett Ritchie is also nearing his return from an elbow infection, while top-line center Patrice Bergeron (lower body) won't be available Thursday but is "getting closer," according to Cassidy.With Bergeron out, David Krejci has performed well on the top line with six points (two goals, four assists) in his past five games.The Bruins have won four of their past five meetings with the Blackhawks.--Field Level Media
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