Boston Bruins Edge New Jersey Devils in Overtime
Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Bruins rookie forward Ryan Spooner scored his first NHL goal to knock off the New Jersey Devils in overtime Friday night.
Spooner cashed on a 4-on-2 rush after taking a feed from fellow rookie David Pastrnak. He fired a shot toward the top left corner of the net and beat Devils goalie Corey Schneider to secure two much-needed points.
Despite earning just their second win in their last nine games, the Bruins were able to move four points ahead of the Florida Panthers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. In victory, the Bruins also capped off a season sweep of the Devils.
Pastrnak and Daniel Paille also scored for the Bruins in the game. Paille’s goal game in the first and gave Boston a 1-0 advantage. Pastrnak lit the lamp in the second to make it 2-0. Boston then allowed two unanswered goals before winning in it with 2:14 left in overtime.
The Bruins called up goaltender Jeremy Smith from Providence prior to the game due to Tuukka Rask falling ill, but it was Niklas Svedberg who got the nod in net. Svedberg had himself a sold showing, turning aside 29 shots. The win marked his sixth of the season and his first since beating the Devils back on Jan. 8.
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My three key takeaways are as follows.
1. Rookies spark struggling offense
The Bruins had their fair share of scoring chances against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. They just couldn’t finish those chances off. Pastrnak and Spooner made sure to make the most of their opportunities in this one. The Bruins can only hope Spooner gains confidence and continues to come through moving forward. Pastrnak’s goal marked his seventh of the season. His offensive skills will remain vitally important to the team’s success.
2. Daniel Paille seems to have re-discovered himself
After sitting out two games as a healthy scratch, Paille returned to the lineup against the Canucks and scored his first goal since November. He added another goal against the Devils. He’s shown great energy since being paired with Carl Soderberg and Loui Eriksson.
3. Dennis Seidenberg was a force to be reckon with
Seidenberg was a beast out on the ice. The big German was dialed in, dishing out a game-high eight hits. He logged 21:25 of ice time and looked as good as he has all season in doing so. A physically dominant Seidenberg on a nightly basis is something the Bruins would love to have down the stretch.