Patrice Bergeron scored early in the second overtime on Wednesday afternoon, leading the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in game one of a best of seven first round Stanley Cup playoff matchup at Scotiabank Bank Arena in Toronto.
Joel Edmunson struck first for Carolina with a goal 13:02 into the first period. Boston came back 4:43 later when a face off draw was won to Brad Marchand, who spun into the left circle and connected on a perfect pass to David Pastrnak in the right circle who snapped one past a fallen Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek to even things 1-1. The Bruins took the lead at 4:38 of the second period, when after another face off win Charlie Coyle picked up a loose puck in the slot and fired it in to make it 2-1. The lead only lasted 21 seconds as Brock McGinn tied it with a shorthanded goal, and the score remained 2-2 after 40 minutes.
Boston again took the lead at 59 seconds of the third, when David Krejci scooped up a rebound after a Mrazek save and went from left to right in tight on the goaltender with a quick deke move to make it 3-2 Bruins. Carolina tied it back up when Haydn Fleury scored at 9:49, and the game would eventually head to overtime. The Bruins outshot the Canes 11-6 in the first extra session, but noone could crack the scoreboard as the teams headed for a period five. After game one of this series was postponed Tuesday night because Columbus and Tampa Bay went into a fifth overtime, Bergeron ended any thoughts of a long afternoon Wednesday when he got a beautiful drop pass from Marchand and rocketed one blocker side on Mrazek from the right face off circle 1:13 into double overtime to end it.
Tuuka Rask made 25 saves in the win. Bergeron and Pastrnak both had a goal and an assist, while Marchand added two assists. Boston went 0-4 on the poweplay (0-13 since the restart), while Carolina went 0-3. Mrazek made 36 saves in the loss. Game two is Thursday night at 8 p.m.
