NHL Three Stars from Friday
1. Brad March, Boston Bruins
There’s an old saying that some teams don’t fight often – for example, the top red wings of the Fedorov days, for example? – Tends to take revenge by scoring on power play.
Tom Wilson delivered a suspicious hit that hospitalized Brandon Carlo, Bruins couldn’t turn the other cheek exactly. For one thing, Jarred Tinordi fought Tom Wilson in the second half. Tom Wills then left Gloves during the third period, the second time vs. Trent Frederick.
So it wasn’t a peaceful run for the Bruins.
But the top Bruins players got the last (and early, and middle, really) laughter. After the first period, the Bruins scored a modest goal 1-0 through Brad March. That hit would really ignite a second-period fire under the Bruins, as it did late in the first.
While Trent Frederick ranks as an unlikely scorer during that period, Marchchand and Patrice Bergern actually led the way – in the bulk of that all-around and overall. Marchand scored two goals and an assist, while Burger scored two points (1G, 1A). The trio of March, Bergern and David Pasternak (1A) finished with a +3 rating in the unilateral affair.
(Jaroslav Hlak almost outscored by stopping 31 out of 32 balls.)
2. Max Passioretti, Vegas Golden Knights
Let’s start this dive with a little bit of horror story. And a familiar.
In the three minutes of the game against the Sharks on Friday, the Golden Knights took a 0-0 lead. Max Passioretti played a significant role in creating this lead. But it will not last.
The Sharks were pushing the game toward overtime at a 3-0 loss when Ks Scur allowed Dansk a 4-4 goal. (Honestly, it felt like one of Mark-Andre Fleury’s few moments.)
That goal diminished Dansk’s pride, and the Sharks got an issue. Pacioretti saved him from the Dansk disaster, however, as he made it to the overtime-winner to score two goals and assist one night. Significantly, Pacquiao now has three overtime goals in just 20 games this season.
(Pacioretti, too, angered Logan Kochhar with a hit.)
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues
Let’s close this three-point night trio.
Like Pacquiao and the Golden Knights, the Blues really needed Ryan O’Reilly’s three points. ROR assists on three blues goals in the collected overtime win vs Kings, with two assistants having primary variations. As always, O’Reilly was dynamic from a two-way perspective. He finished with those three assists, two shots on goal, a +2 rating and went 16-7 on the faceoffs.
That three-point night pushed Ryan O’Reilly Just Short of points-per-game this season (23 in 24 GP).
Some might argue that David Peron is a blues player who deserves more than a three star nod. He scored two goals. Peron being under-the-radar as a scorer, being under-the-radar, is probably the Blues’ most dangerous offensive weapon (25 points).
Night Highlights: BlackHaks and Lightning in OT; Nishushkin Shakti moves
Ultimately, the decision of the Blackhawks-Lightning will be made by the shootout. However, the excitement of the 3-on-3 OT prospect is a feature of that game:
Shish, if Valerie Nishushkin continues this, it could just be the mainstream that could be analytics darling.
Nichushkin scored two goals in a row in the OT so he had an argument for three star status in his own way.
In the end, Kirill Kaprizov did things Kirill Kaprizov.
Incredible pass from Kaprizov, see Bugstad’s reaction pic.twitter.com/dG4sT67rzF
– CJ Fogler # BlackLives Matter (@KJZero) March 6, 2021
Heavyweight Fight: Ryan vs. Curtis Gabriel
The battle between Devata, Ryan Reeves and Curtis Gabriel was terrifying:
The smack talk between Reeves and Gabriel was obviously something else. This jaw was done for several minutes, and it happened even before the game.
Honestly better than the game, it lasted 5 minutes pic.twitter.com/MVQ2npHmlv
– Sheng Peng (@sheng_peng) March 6, 2021
(Gabriel’s skate catches him while delivering a Reeves hit and then leaves the game.)
NHL score on Friday
Bruins 5, Capitals 1
BlackHX4, Lightning 3 (SO)
Avalanche 3, Duck 2 (OT)
Wild 5, Coyotes 1
Blues 3, Kings 2 (OT)
Golden Knights 5, Sharks 4 (OT)
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James O’Brien Is the author for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Put it in a line [email protected] Or follow him on Twitter Liked.
