The Boston Bruins got out of Philadelphia with at least one point in a 3-2 overtime shootout loss last night, and while overall it means the Bruins have lost four of their last five, that one point does represent something of a moral victory along with the bump in the standings.
That's because the Bruins trailed the Flyers 2-0 for two full periods and Flyers goalie Steve Mason was playing so well it looked like a shut-out was likely, never mind getting two behind him. But the Bruins did overcome that two goal deficit with two of their own in the third period on goals by David Krejci and Brad Marchand, and after a scoreless overtime the shootout went nine rounds before Philly won it on a top shelf goal by defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere that went glove high over Tuukka Rask.
This was just one of those games for Boston. They out-shot the Flyers 47-21 but Mason was unbeatable for most of the night. Tuukka Rask wasn't too bad, either, and the B's can thank their netminder for the one point they get for a regulation tie for stopping a penalty shot awarded to Jakub Voracek in the third period that could have put the game away for Philly in regulation. Boston and Philly are tied for points in the conference now, each with 25, and both are currently on the outside of the coveted playoff bubble.
Out west the Montreal Canadiens offense was hounding the Anaheim Ducks defense, firing pucks on Anaheim goalie John Gibson like, oh let's say, ducks in a shooting gallery, holding a 15-3 shot advantage at one point. But it's not how many you put on net, it's how many move the mesh, and the Habs got just one past Gibson all night in a 2-1 loss. Only Andrew Shaw's goal with two minutes left kept Gibson from the shut-out. Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler scored for Anaheim.
Elsewhere, the NY Rangers played comeback hockey against the Carolina Hurricanes, thanks to a huge game from Rick Nash, who had a highlight reel goal in the third period to tie the game, and then an assist on the game-winning goal by rookie Jimmy Vesey that gave the Rangers a 3-2 win at Madison Square Garden. Trailing 2-1 heading into the third, Nash tied the game just 24 seconds in, racing into the Carolina zone, going wide on a partial breakaway and lifting a backhander in stride just under the crossbar to tie it. Vesey scored his 8th goal of the season on the power play with just five minutes left in regulation to win it for New York.
The Castleton University men's basketball team brings a three-game winning streak into their North Atlantic Conference opener against New England College tonight at Glenbrook Gym, the first end of a double header at home that will feature the Castelton women also taking on New England College in the nightcap, and that's the tip off of a busy schedule for the Lady Spartans, who will play six games over the next two weeks.
One item I didn't get to yesterday was the New England Prep School Class D championship won by the Vermont Academy varsity girls soccer team, defeating Hebron Academy this past weekend 1-0 on a goal by Leandra Echi with eleven minutes to go in the game. The varsity girl Wildcats win the title after finishing with a 14-4-4 overall record.
