By Canadian Press

Bruins finding their bearings as season progresses

Dec 17, 2024 | 10:45 PM

CALGARY — After a slow start to the season, the Boston Bruins are starting to find their groove.

Slumping Elias Lindholm had a goal and an assist and David Pastrnak scored in overtime as the Bruins came from behind to beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 on Tuesday.

Boston has won six of its last eight and improved to 9-4-0 under interim coach Joe Sacco, who took over behind the bench on Nov. 19 when the club fired Jim Montgomery.

“I was real proud of our effort in the third period. I thought the guys showed a lot of determination, never-say-die attitude and good on them,” said Sacco. “They worked for it in the third period. We did it the right way. We generated a lot of quality chances there. When you play that way, the process takes care of itself.”

The Bruins trailed 3-1 after 40 minutes against a team that entered the night one of six teams with a perfect record when leading after two periods at 7-0-0.

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But Boston took the play to the home side, outshooting Calgary 15-4 and getting back to even on goals from Morgan Geekie at 4:14 and Marc McLaughlin at 6:51.

“We still had a ton of confidence that we had the ability to come back,” said Brad Marchand. “A period is a long time in this league and confidence and belief is dangerous. If you have that, then you can make it happen.

“We found it a few times recently where we push in the third and we’re starting to have that belief again that we can come back in this situation.”

The ice was similarly tilted in overtime with the Bruins holding a 4-0 edge in shots, capped off by Pastrnak’s goal at 4:20 when he took a pass from Charlie McAvoy, weaved into the Flames end and picked the far corner on rookie goaltender Dustin Wolf.

“We obviously went through some hard times already,” said Pastrnak, who has 12 goals. “So it’s important for us to show that we can learn and we’re not going to give up and we’re going to fight.”

Third in the Atlantic Division, just one point up on Tampa Bay, Boston (17-13-3) improves its points percentage to .561. Back in 2009-10 was the last time they finished the season with a points percentage that low.

The poster child for the Bruins’ struggles thus far has been Lindholm, who signed a big seven-year contract in the summer as a free agent.

Lindholm’s second-period goal that got Boston on the scoreboard and cut Calgary’s lead in half was his first goal in 12 games and just his second goal in the last 30. After scoring 42 times with the Flames in 2021-22, his four goals this season has him on pace for only 10.

But it was a big goal Tuesday and Lindholm was also in on the tying goal in the third, with a big hit that began the sequence in which he was also credited with an assist.

“It was good to see. I’m happy for him,” said Sacco. “He played well tonight.”

Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov was a teammate of Lindholm’s in Calgary before both were traded last season.

“I feel good for Lindy,” said the Bruins defenceman. “Obviously he’s been big part of that organization for six years. So coming back and your first game, I remember my emotions last year were upside down, and you didn’t know what to expect. It feels like it’s been your home for so long, and now you’re not there.”

Boston wraps up its five-game road trip on Thursday in Edmonton.

“You feel good after you have a win, but that can also be dangerous,” said Marchand. “We have to reset again after this one and be prepared to the next one. It’s going to be the toughest one on the trip.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024.

Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press