BOSTON (AP) The Boston Bruins made up for a slow start with an impressive finish.Patrice Bergeron played a key role.Bergeron score two of
Boston’s three goals in the third period
Adidas Gabriel Gagne Jersey , and the Bruins pulled away from the Calgary Flames for a 5-2 win on Tuesday night.Boston held Calgary to 17 shots in the
last 40 minutes and scored four straight goals after falling behind 2-1.”We
played much more to our style of play, how we want to wear teams down and
eventually get our looks,” coach Bruce Cassidy said.”That’s essentially what we
asked our group to be after the first period. Let’s just play hard, get back to
competing hard and winning pucks, getting there first. If you’re not getting
there first, arrive ornery and I thought we did a good job.”Riley Nash also
scored twice and David Backes had two assists for the Bruins, who won for the
sixth time in seven games. Zdeno Chara had an empty-net goal and Tuukka Rask
stopped 27 shots.”I thought the last 40 minutes were the way we want to play,”
Bergeron said. ”That’s heavy team that’s got a lot of skills. It’s going to
happen. You’re not going to dominate and be at your best all the time.”Calgary
had won four of five. Sam Bennett and Johnny Gaudreau scored for the Flames, and
David Rittich had 35 saves.Down 4-2
Adidas Mikkel Boedker Jersey , the Flames gambled by pulling Rittich for an extra skater and Chara made them play with an end-to-end shot with 3:46 left
to play.After coming up empty on five power-play opportunities, the Flames felt
they cost themselves a chance at a point or two in the fifth of six straight on
the road.”We’ve just got to better obviously on special teams,” said Flames
captain Mark Giordano, who assisted on Gaudreau’s goal. ”We had our looks on the
power play. We had some good kills early but at the end of the day not good
enough.”The Flames wrap up the long trip Thursday at Nashville.Boston jumped in
front on Nash’s ninth goal just 28 seconds into the game, but Bennett got his
eighth of the season at 2:03 and Gaudreau stuffed in a rebound at 9:12 to put
Calgary up 2-1.Nash tied it with 3:40 left in the second, and Boston regained
the lead 1:15 into the third period when Bergeron scored on the power play.
Bergeron took a long pass through center ice from Torey Krug and beat Rittich
with a wrist shot to the stick side.It was the 26th goal of the season for
Bergeron, who added No. 27 at 9:19 when he tipped in a shot from Brad Marchand
after blocking a shot in Boston’s own zone and starting the Bruins on an odd-man
rush the other way.”You always try to take care of the D-zone first and then you
can think offense,” Bergeron said. ”Obviously after that we were able to sustain
some pressure and eventually get the goal.”NOTES: Nash’s two goals gave him 10
for the season, tying the career high he set with Carolina in 2013-2014. … The
Bruins honored the 40th anniversary of the 1977-78 lineup that featured 11
players who scored 20 or more goals. Ten members of the team were introduced in
a pregame ceremony along with former coach Don Cherry. … Rittich was making just
his 11st start of the season. G Mike Smith is day to day with a lower-body
injury that forced him to leave Sunday’s win against the Islanders in New York
with 2 seconds remaining. … The Flames were without F Troy Brouwer
Adidas James Van Riemsdyk Jersey , placed on injured reserve Monday with an upper-body injury.UP NEXTFlames: Visit Nashville on Thursday night.Bruins:
Open a five-game trip at Vancouver on Saturday night. ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) The
St. Louis Blues are less interested in identifying why they’ve suddenly turned
things around than they are in simply extending their improved play.After losing
nine of 10 and fading in the playoff race, the Blues won their second
consecutive game against a team they’re pursuing in the Western Conference,
beating the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Monday night.St. Louis got goals from four
players, two days after seven Blues scored in a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles
Kings.”We beat two teams we’re chasing in the standings,” coach Mike Yeo said.
”We could have put ourselves in a pretty dire situation, bury ourselves almost
to the point of not having a chance.”Instead, a desperate Blues team is now one
point back of Anaheim and Colorado for the final playoff spot in the West.Robert
Bortuzzo, Ivan Barbashev
Adidas Christian Folin Jersey , Vladimir Sobotka and Patrik Berglund scored for the Blues, who are uncertain what got them going.”I’m not actually
sure,” Bortuzzo said. ”Everyone knows they have to bring it every night. I’m not
sure what the pinpoint was for elevating our play, but we have done it.”It’s one
thing to work hard, it’s another thing to work smart. And I think we’re doing
that right now.”Corey Perry and Derek Grant scored for the Ducks, who lost their
third straight. John Gibson stopped 18 shots.Anaheim had won seven of nine
before hitting its current skid.”There really is no reason for it,” Kevin Bieksa
said. ”It’s on us as players. We have to execute with the puck no matter the
situation. When you don’t execute against a team like that, you get tired and
frustrated. And that’s the result.”For the second consecutive game, the Blues
jumped out to a 2-0 lead.Bortuzzo
Adidas Erik Karlsson Jersey , a defenseman, scored his second goal in two games and third of the season. Barbashev, a forward who plays on the fourth
line, scored on a rebound and added an assist.”It’s nice to chip in,” Bortuzzo
said. ”It’s a fun atmosphere right now. We’re doing the right things and that’s
why we’re getting rewarded with goals.”Everyone is doing their part right now.
We’re getting goals from a lot of different sources.”The Ducks cut the St. Louis
lead to 2-1 when Perry scored his 15th of the season, but each time Anaheim
challenged, the Blues responded.”We need to understand there is a certain type
of game that’s being played right now,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. ”We’ve
given the opposition too many gifts. Those are mental breakdowns that have to be
corrected.”Sobotka’s goal put St. Louis up 3-1, and after Chris Kelly’s shot
deflected off Grant to pull Anaheim back within one
Adidas Adam Cracknell Jersey , the Ducks turned it over and Berglund answered to put it away.”It just seems like we’re making the right decisions,”
said Alex Pietrangelo, who had two assists. ”We’re picking each other up.”Jake
Allen stopped 20 shots for the Blues.”We’re trending in the right direction,”
Allen said. ”We still have a decent shot to get in there and make some noise.
Hopefully we keep going.”NOTES: The loss snapped a nine-game point streak for
the Ducks. . The Blues will continue to play teams they are trying to chase down
in the West when they next host the Avalanche. . Anaheim’s Adam Henrique skated
in his 500th career game.UP NEXTBlues: Return home to play Colorado on
Thursday.Ducks: Play the second of four consecutive home games Wednesday against
Vancouver.—
