Marchand Scores In OT, Wild Fall To Bruins 2-1
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Something seems to click for Brad Marchand in overtime.
The Bruins forward entered Sunday night's game with four overtime goals this season. He added to that total to lift his team yet again.
Marchand scored 28 seconds into overtime for his league-leading fifth overtime goal and a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild.
"Overtime specifically, especially this month, he's sure come through for us," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "But he's an elite player so we expect him to get his looks every night because he's hard on the puck and a heck of a competitor, so it doesn't surprise me."
Tuukka Rask made 24 saves and David Pastrnak also scored for the Bruins, who improved to 47-17-10.
Marchand's winner came after a pass off the boards by Torey Krug gave Marchand a shot at the net from the left faceoff circle. Wild defenseman Matt Dumba got turned around on the play and couldn't catch up with Marchand.
"You need a lot of things to go right but sometimes you benefit from plays, sometimes you don't," Marchand said. "I think this year I've been playing with a lot of guys who are making good plays and I'm benefiting from that."
Marchand got his second goal in two games and his third in a four-game span. His 33rd of the season was his eighth game-winner, tying a career high. Marchand also assisted on the Bruins' first goal.
Boston appeared to score first when Noel Acciari found the back of the net early in the second period. However, the goal was waved off after officials reviewed it and ruled that Boston's Riley Nash ran into goalie Alex Stalock.
Just over a minute later, the Bruins beat Stalock on one that counted. Pastrnak notched his 30th of the season — and second in two games — when his one-timer on a feed from Patrice Bergeron sailed past Stalock.
Bergeron's assist came in his first game back after missing a month with a fractured foot. The center last played on Feb. 25. He also assisted on Marchand's goal.
"It's always getting the legs and the timing and the execution back," Bergeron said. "I felt like it was getting better as the game went on."
Minnesota thought it had the tying goal later in the second, but a whistle sounded before Jason Zucker poked the puck past Rask. A replay also showed the puck under Rask's pad may have crossed the goal line, but a review determined the play was blown dead before the goal.
"You knew the puck was over the line," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "It's just a question when did it go over the line."
Rask had a number of key saves in the first two periods, including a stop of Zach Parise on a short-handed chance and on a backhand shot by Marcus Foligno to preserve the one-goal lead.
The Wild broke through midway through the third. Captain Mikko Koivu scored his 14th goal when he collected a rebound from Matt Dumba's shot off the end boards and tucked it between Rask and the post.
It was Koivu's second goal in a 10-game stretch.
Minnesota has earned a point in five straight games.
Stalock got the start in net after Devan Dubnyk started Saturday's win against Nashville. Stalock made 26 saves and fell to 10-11-2.
"It was a playoff team again tonight so I think we see how tight games are going to be," Stalock said. "It's a bounce here or there. That's the difference."
NOTES: Members of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School hockey team from Parkland, Florida, were in attendance and did the "Let's Play Hockey" introduction. They were in town for the USA Hockey National Championship High School tournament. ... Several players from the gold medal-winning U.S. women's hockey team took part in a ceremonial puck drop.
UP NEXT
Bruins: At Winnipeg on Tuesday night.
Wild: At Nashville on Tuesday night.
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