It wasn't a bad way for the Bruins to start the month of March, and it was an even better way for David Krejci to start his month, after scoring his first hat trick this season and the second of his career.
He was a borderline savior tonight, after the Bruins let up three unanswered goals in the second period and looked dismal enough to carry on their recent trend of giving up leads.
Even more troublesome for Krejci, was his lack of production as of late. Prior to tonight's game, Krejci only had two points in his last thirteen games. He sat on a first line with Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton, who was then switched out with different forwards including people like Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly.
Finally, tonight Claude Julien put Tyler Seguin into the mix and the results and the differences it made were palpable. Just 1:13 into the game, Krejci found the back of the net for his first goal, putting the Bruins up 1-0 early with a wrist shot in the slot.
His line continued to shine, and seven minutes later, Lucic pushed his way through the Devils defense and into the attacking zone, only to turn and find Seguin at the top of the slot to put the Bruins second goal of the game in.
"Last year when I came back, when I missed three games in January we played I think about five games together, and we also played well I remember the Colorado game in Colorado where the three of us played together," Lucic said about him and his linemates. "I think it was a spark for all three of us to play as a line and it was great that we were able to get some results tonight."
Add a fight in the first period between Shawn Thornton and Eric Boulton, and all of a sudden, things started looking up for the previously battered team.
That is, until the second period.
There was little the Bruins could boast about in the middle frame, after being outshot 5-0 in the first couple of minutes, only to give up three unanswered goals to New Jersey.
Joe Corvo was the scapegoat for the Bruins after giving up two turnovers in the period that resulted in two of the three Devils goals.
The first goal was from Zach Parise 6:27 into the second with the assist going to Ilya Kovalchuk. The Bruins continued to show some lethargy giving up two more goals (and the lead) in the remaining 14 minutes to Patrik Elias and David Clarkson.
However, in typical Bruins fashion, they showed their strength in the third period and Krejci capitalized 5:30 into it, tying up the game with plenty of time left to spare. Though the B's were outshot 8-4 in the third, they were able to hold onto the game and bring it into overtime where Krejci lifted a rebound over the pads of Brodeur and into the back of the net, as the hats came raining down on the ice.
"Obviously, it’s been kind of an up and down year for David and it’s been frustrating at times for him, but it’s great to see him work through it," Lucic said. "Looking back, it kind of all started at that St. Louis game where he wasn’t getting the points, but he was playing well so it was good to see him get rewarded tonight."
By the way, of all the hats on the ice, Krejci picked up the yellow curly wig.
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