Boston Bruins vs. Carolina Hurricanes: Top 3 takeaways from Game 3
Though Game 3 between the Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes was a low scoring affair, it sure was an exciting one, as the Bruins held on to win 3-1.
The first two games of the series between the Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins saw a combined 12 goals in a shade over seven full periods. Game 3 was much different, as it was a relatively low-scoring affair that saw the Bruins come out on top 3-1.
It was an impressive win for Boston, who overcame some significant obstacles. For the first time in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Bruins team flaunted their experience. The Hurricanes certainly didn’t lose from a lack of trying, but now they’ve got to go back to the old drawing board and see if they can figure out a way to solve the Bruins defense.
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Here are three takeaways from Game 3.
1. Halak Steps Up
Saturday started off a bit weird for the Boston Bruins. Star goaltender Tuukka Rask elected to opt-out of the postseason, citing family reasons. The Bruins deserve a lot of credit for standing behind him and letting him return home to his family. These times are unprecedented and, as a recent uncle, I completely understand Tuukka’s desire to be with his family. Family comes first in life.
This put a lot of pressure on Jaroslav Halak to come in and be the Bruins starting goalie. If Halak was nervous in Game 3, it didn’t show. Yes, he had a comical mishap, as he basically gifted the Hurricanes a goal with an unfortunate clear, but Halak was otherwise perfect.
Credit Halak for stepping up to replace Rask. This shows how much of a family the Bruins are. When a member of the family falls, you help them and support them. Halak has a track record of postseason success, so maybe he can help the Bruins contend for the Stanley Cup. He certainly looked good on Saturday.
2. Svechnikov’s Injury
Game 3 didn’t go well for the Carolina Hurricanes. First of all, they lost. Secondly, the Hurricanes might have also lost their star forward Andrei Svechnikov. In a bit of a weird accident, Svechnikov got tangled up with Bruins captain Zdeno Chara and Svechnikov’s leg buckled as he went down.
Svechnikov goes down awkwardly and it does not look good pic.twitter.com/0DzVj9kt2f
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) August 15, 2020
Svechnikov didn’t return to the game and had to be helped off the ice by Dougie Hamilton and one of the team trainers. He’s one of the most dynamic forwards in the NHL and such a fun player to watch, so we at Puck Prose are hoping for the best.
Still, it’s hard not to look at that video and think “yup, he’s done for the playoffs”. Svechnikov’s leg bends in a way legs are probably not meant to bend. It appears to be either a knee, leg, or ankle injury. If Svechnikov plays another game in this series, he should consider himself extremely lucky.
Svechnikov is such an incredibly important player for the Hurricanes. He’s a one-man offensive machine, as he can drive play, pass, and shoot. Whenever the Hurricanes have needed a big goal this postseason, Svechnikov has played a role in it more often than not.
The team has yet to provide an update on Svechnikov, but his head coach’s comments certainly aren’t encouraging.
3. Krejci’s Unappreciated Magic
Usually, when one thinks of the Boston Bruins, you think of guys like Zdeno Chara, David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron. Perhaps you think of Tuukka Rask or Charlie McAvoy. Maybe Torey Krug. And rightfully so. Each of those guys is critical to their success. But one guy who has always flown a bit under the radar is center David Krejci.
Krejci has been brilliant so far this series for the Bruins. He had an uncharacteristically weak game in Game 2, but he showed his greatness today. Krejci played a huge role in Charlie Coyle’s goal that started the scoring, as he sent Brad Marchand into the corners with a perfectly played pass.
He also got the primary assist on Brad Marchand’s empty net goal that clinched the win. Krejci had to deliver a perfect pass for it to work, and that’s precisely what he did. The Bruins don’t win today without Krejci’s efforts.
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It’s easy to overlook what he does because the Boston Bruins have so many great players. Krejci’s an important cog in their machine and he showed why today. Some of his best work doesn’t get on the scoresheet, so it’s great to see him get two points for doing those little things right.