Matt Grzelcyk Scores In OT To Lift Bruins Over Blackhawks, 2-1
CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Grzelcyk scored at 1:40 of overtime and the surging Boston Bruins beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Tuesday night.
After taking a cross-ice feed from Taylor Hall, Grzelcyk whipped the puck past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to end it on Boston's 48th shot. Hall had two assists as Boston won its third straight to start a four-game trip and improved to 10-1-1 in its last 12 overall.
Grzelcyk, a defenseman, jumped up to the right circle skating on the 3-on-3 with Hall and high-scoring David Pastrnak. Grzelcyk netted his third goal — and second game-winner — in 53 games this season.
"I just wanted to get open for Hallsie and Pasta," Grzelcyk said. "They're two unbelievable players. They're going to find me.
"I was just trying to find an open space. Hallsie made a great play there."
Fleury sparkled in net, making 46 saves as the Bruins dominated and outshot the Blackhawks 48-20. Fleury wasn't beaten until Patrice Bergeron snapped a scoreless tie early in the third on Boston's 40th shot.
Linus Ullmark made 19 saves for Boston.
"Give them credit for hanging around, but I think their goalie kept them in it," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Every couple of weeks, you'll have a game like this where the guy you're playing against is rock-solid and you've got to find a way to win.
"I'm just glad we got the two points against a guy that had a really good night."
Brandon Hagel scored his 21st goal midway through the third period to tie it.
"We can't ask much more from Flower," Hagel said. "He's won us probably half of our games.
"He's been the stud of this hockey game. Wish we could have gotten two points for him."
Chicago had to settle for one in the second tight game between the Original Six teams in less than a week. The Bruins edged the Blackhawks 4-3 in Boston last Thursday when Pastrnak scored his second goal of the game with 18 seconds left.
Boston dominated the scoreless first, outshooting Chicago 14-4. Fleury kept the Bruins off the board with several sharp saves, including point-blank stops on Hall and Brad Marchand.
Fleury was crisp again in the second, especially during a Boston power play late in the period. The crowd started chanting his name after a couple of snazzy saves as Boston ran its shot advantage to 35-11 after 40 minutes.
Ullmark turned in some tough stops, too, including one close-in on Kirby Dach off a 2-on-1 with 45 seconds left in the middle frame.
Ullmark made a quick glove save on Alex DeBrincat's deflection attempt during a Chicago power play seconds into the third.
Bergeron finally put the Bruins on the board at 4:43 of the third.
Boston kept the pressure on Chicago after its fourth power play expired. From a frantic scrum, Bergeron batted in his 17th goal, underneath Fleury and just over the goal line after Marchand and Hall had whacked at the puck.
Hagel tied it 1-all on a deflection at 9:36 of the third. Cutting across the crease, he screened Ullmark and tipped in Caleb Jones' shot.
An apparent go-ahead goal by Boston's Charlie Coyle with 4:45 left in regulation was waved off by referee Pierre Lambert because of goalie interference. Coyle turned and whipped in a loose puck, but Lambert ruled Craig Smith made contact with Fleury.
Cassidy challenged the on-ice ruling and asked for a video review. He lost the challenge but Chicago failed to convert the resulting power play.
The game headed to overtime with Boston leading 46-20 in shots.
MILLENNIAL MARK
Bruins forward Nick Foligno played his 1,000th game in the NHL, joining his dad, Mike, who skated in 1,018. They're the second father-son combo in league history to each play 1,000 games. The other is Bobby and Brett Hull.
Nick Foligno became the 10th player to reach 1,000 career games this season.
LOCAL ADDITION
The Blackhawks signed D Alex Vlasic, from the Chicago suburb of Wilmette, Illinois, to a three-year entry-level contract. The 6-foot-6 Vlasic just completed his junior season at Boston University and is expected to join the Blackhawks on Thursday.
Vlasic was drafted by Chicago in the second round (43rd overall) in 2019.
NO KUDOS JUST YET
Fleury likely will be a Hall of Famer. But asked if he was admiring his 37-year-old counterpart during the game, Ullmark was blunt.
"No," he said. "Admiration is for after the game, not during. Now afterwards, I would say he was terrific."
NOTES:
Blackhawks D Connor Murphy and C Tyler Johnson both missed the game in concussion protocol. Murphy was taken off the ice in Ottawa on a stretcher Saturday after being slammed into the boards by Parker Kelly.
UP NEXT
Bruins: At the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.
Blackhawks: Play at Minnesota on Saturday.
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