Boston Bruins Come Up Short in Overtime, Lose 4-3 to Ottawa in Game 3

An exciting second period on Marathon Monday was the difference-maker in this game as the Bruins came back after being down three goals to bring the game into overtime.

Let’s see how we got there.

In the first:

Ottawa struck early and often to give the fans in attendance at the TD Garden feelings of frustration, anger and “What the hell is happening?” all at once.

After Tuukka Rask made a dazzling, slide-across-the-crease-save, the rest of the period was drastically different.

Mike Hoffman started the scoring for the visitors with just over seven minutes expired from the clock when he slipped the puck past Rask for the 1-0 lead.

Twenty seconds later, Derick Brassard added to the lead with a goal of his own and the Bruins found themselves down by two.

The black and gold would go into the locker room down 2-0.

In the second:

The fun got started for the B’s in the second, but not before the crowd was silenced nearly four minutes into the period. Hoffman lit the lamp for the second time to open up the game 3-0.

Somehow, two minutes later, Boston found some life they failed to find in the opening 20 minutes when Noel Acciari, who returned to the lineup tonight, scored to bring the home team within two.

David Backes decided to get in on the fun a minute later when he scored and sent the Garden crowd into a frenzy with them being down just by a goal.

Ottawa went on the penalty kill and David Pastrnak took advantage of the man advantage as he tied the game with help from Charlie McAvoy for Boston, raising his hand to his ear to bring the Garden crowd to their feet in a sea of cheers.

In the third:

If your blood pressure wasn’t through the roof, it most certainly was in the third as it was riddled with scoring chances, close calls, physical hits and everything that makes playoff hockey that much better.

After a long, physical 20 minutes, both teams went down the tunnel and prepared themselves for overtime.

In overtime:

A controversial penalty call on Riley Nash that sent him to the box for two minutes for roughing and that would make all the difference. 

Nash took a forearm from Bobby Ryan to the head and he responded with a jab to Ryan's face, prompting the penalty just on Nash, when both should have been sent to the box with matching penalties.

You don't often hear Pierre McGuire get this fired up, but he's not wrong pic.twitter.com/f1UjENtvhM

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 18, 2017

It didn’t take long for the game to end after that, but it did not go in favor of the B’s, as Ryan spoiled the possible comeback for Boston as he scored on Rask at the 5:43 mark.

With the 4-3 loss, Boston now trails in the series 2-1.

My three stars:

3) Charlie McAvoy – He’s been on the ice quite a bit and has looked like a natural on the ice.

2) Tuukka Rask – despite giving up four goals, he still made some outstanding saves.

1) David Pastrnak for tying the game and bringing life back to the Garden.

What’s Bruin next:

The Bruins look to avoid going down by two games on Wednesday when they return to the Garden ice for Game 4 against the Ottawa Senators. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m.