Halak Solid In Net As Bruins Blank Coyotes

If you hadn't watched the Boston Bruins' victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night, the final score would conjure thoughts that the game was a defensive struggle filled with big hits, frustration-borne tussles and solid goaltending.

But those who did witness the match were treated to a turnover-filled track meet that saw both teams in constant transition, chasing each other up and down the ice sheet and leading to many potential quality scoring chances...

Halak against the Coyotes

..."Potential" being the operative word, as breakaways out of the neutral zone were thwarted by terrific back-checking on both sides and both defenses pinning their opponents to the side boards - the only tally a pirouetting backhander from Brad Marchand late in the first period that Bruins' goalie Jaroslav Halak made stand up as Boston stole a 1-0 victory from the Coyotes at Gila River Arena.

Halak was sensational in his 2019 season debut, stopping all 35 of the Coyotes' shots on goal, while Arizona stopper Darcy Keumper matched Halak's performance stop-for-stop, his only gaffe coming on Marchand's ballet-worthy goal with just over a minute remaining in the opening stanza - and that was more of a terrific effort from the Bruins' top line than any error on Kuemper's part.

The Bruins' top line enjoyed their best performance in several months going back to the Stanley Cup finals in June when they disappeared against the eventual champions St. Louis Blues, and were also a no-show against the Dallas Stars in Thursday night's season opener. But Bergeron, Pasternak and Marchand were fully engaged in this contest from the first shift on.

As was the case all evening, the Coyotes had control of the middle of the ice, forcing the action to the wings where, with time running down in the first period, Patrice Bergeron and David Pasternak were engaged in a four-man scrum along the low boards to the right of Keumper - when Bergeron somehow emerged from the pack with the puck.

Pasternak disengaged from the scrum and floated into the left circle, drawing the Arizona defensemen to his position, who were unaware of Marchand sneaking in behind them. Bergeron fired a pass which Pasternak let slide past him directly to the wide open Marchand, who twirled and fired his backhanded gem that beat Keumper low.

A designed play off the dashers, Pasternak sold the illusion by faking a shot as the puck slid past him, drawing the scrambling Coyotes' defensemen to play the fake, opening a shooting lane for Marchand and causing Keumper to flinch for a split-second - and that was all the room Marchand needed to pot his first goal of the young season.

Once again, defenseman Charlie McAvoy led the Bruins in minutes on ice with 22:28, centerman Charlie Coyle leading the forwards with exactly twenty minutes on the sheet. The win elevated the Bruins' season record to a perfect 2-0-0, good for second place in the Atlantic Division behind Toronto, who sports a 2-0-1 record.

Boston now moves on to Las Vegas to take on the Golden Knights on Tuesday night, then travel to Colorado before returning home on Saturday to host the New Jersey Devils in the Bruins' home opener.