Boston goaltender Dan Vladar clears a shot as Charlie McAvoy, right, knocks down Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel during Tuesday’s game in Pittsburgh. Vladar made 34 saves in his first NHL start to lead the Bruins to a 2-1 win. Keith Srakocic/Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — Trent Frederic scored the lone goal of the third period and the Boston Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Dan Vladar made 34 saves for his first win in his first NHL start. Vladar made his debut in last summer’s Stanley Cup playoffs when he relieved Jaroslav Halak during Game 3 of the second round against Tampa Bay. Bruins’ No. 1 goaltender Tuukka Rask skated on Tuesday but missed his fifth straight game with an undisclosed injury.
“I’m just the happiest kid in the world right now,” Vladar said. “It was always my dream to play in the NHL, I got the opportunity and I won. There hasn’t been a better day for me hockey-wise.”
Frederic gave the Bruins the lead for good at 7:07 of the third. He beat goaltender Casey DeSmith with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle through traffic. David Pastrnak scored his 13th on the power play for the Bruins, who had lost nine of their previous 13 games. It was the Bruins’ second win in their last seven road games following a 5-0-1 stretch away from home.
Brandon Tanev scored his seventh goal for Pittsburgh, which ended a six-game winning streak. The Penguins had won 11 of their previous 14 games. Sidney Crosby’s seven-game point streak ended and DeSmith stopped 31 shots.
Frederic’s winner was the Bruins’ third even-strength goal in their last six games. The Bruins have scored 33 goals in their last 14 games.
Pastrnak opened the scoring at 3:20 of the first period. Pastrnak took a feed from Brad Marchand and beat DeSmith between the pads with a backhander.
Tanev tied the game at 15:22 of the first period. Evan Rodrigues redirected Kasperi Kapanen’s shot on goal and Tanev converted the rebound from the side of the net.
EVGENI MALKIN left Tuesday’s game midway through the first period following a hit in the corner from Bruins defenseman Jarred Tinordi. He came back for a power play shift later in the period before returning to the locker room for good. Malkin entered Tuesday with points in 12 of his previous 14 games, including an eight-game point streak, in which he scored four goals and 12 points during the run.
Malkin became the third Russian-born player to score 1,100 NHL points one night earlier in a win against Boston. …
TANEV WAS assessed a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Tinordi at 12:57 of the second period. Tanev’s check away from the boards sent Tinordi awkwardly crashing in front of the Bruins’ bench. Tinordi (upper body) remained on the ice for several moments before he was helped to the locker room and did not return.
Boston managed just four shots during the five-minute power play, and Pittsburgh’s Mark Jankowski hit the post on a short-handed breakaway in the waning moments of the kill. Pittsburgh killed the penalty without two of its top penalty killers, Tanev and Teddy Blueger, who was a surprise scratch, and played the final 27 minutes with 10 forwards.
JEREMY SWAYMAN, the former University of Maine standout goalie in his rookie season with the Bruins, nearly made his NHL debut against the Penguins instead of Vladar.
Coach Bruce Cassidy said the Bruins’ goalie staff – Bob Essensa and Mike Dunham (another former UMaine goalie) with consultation from general manager Don Sweeney – made the decision to choose Vladar over Swayman.
“They’re comfortable with both. I think either one would have been a good call,” Cassidy said.
Halak dressed as the backup to Vladar.
Vladar played briefly and struggled in Rask’s absence in the bubble last year. He’s 2-2 with a 1.78 GAA and a .934 save percentage this year for Providence in the AHL in 2021. Swayman, a Hobey Baker finalist a year ago, is undefeated as a pro at 7-0 with a 1.50 GAA and a .942 save percentage in Providence.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
