Patrice Bergeron had a hat trick and Brad Marchand scored a third period shorthanded goal, and after blowing a 2-0 first period lead the Boston Bruins would defeat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
After a tough 3-2 overtime loss to Philadelphia on Monday night at TD Garden after holding a one goal third period lead, Boston got out on the right foot. Bergeron would scoop up a rebound and tuck it in for his 900th career NHL point at 7:09 of the first period to make it 1-0 Bruins. Bergeron would double the lead on the powerplay at 17:31, taking a pass from David Pastrnak and ripping home a one timer from the low slot. That was after the Flyers Scott Laughton was stopped on a shorthanded breakaway seconds earlier by Jeremy Swayman, who was making his NHL debut in net for the visitors. He stopped all 13 first period Philadelphia shots.
The hosts picked up their play early in the second though. After a Boston turnover in the high slot in their own end, Travis Konecny sent a perfect tape to tape pass to Jakub Voracek for a tap in goal at 1:33. The Flyers tied it 2:30 later when Voracek sent a cross ice pass to Shayne Gostisbehere, who roofed a shot top shelf on Swayman from the bottom of the right faceoff circle to make it 2-2. That is where it stood after two periods. Philadelphia outshot Boston 25-7 in the middle period.
Despite being outplayed and outshot by 20 over the first 40 minutes, Boston would make the play that made the difference in the game in the third period. 56 seconds into a Philadelphia powerplay, Jeremy Lauzon and Marchand broke out on a two on one. Lauzon waited before getting it to Marchand, who skated across the crease right to left and slid the puck under the legs of Flyers goalie Carter Hart at 8:21 for the game winner. Marchand set the club record with his 29th career shorthanded goal. Bergeron finished off his three goal night with an empty netter with 23 seconds left.
Swayman made 40 saves to win in his first career start. He is tied for third most saves in a debut in team history, behind Bernie Parent (42 in 1965-66) and Andre Gill (41 in 1967-68). Bergeron with his three goals and Marchand with one goal and two assists both had three points, as Boston improves their record to 20-10-6. Hart finished with 22 stops in the Philadelphia net, as the Flyers drop to 18-15-5. The Bruins are in Washington to battle the Capitals Thursday night.
