BOSTON — Brad Marchand once again stood up in crucial moments and the Boston Bruins stayed alive Thursday night.
Marchand had a goal and an assist as the Bruins forced a game-ending victory by beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2.
Marchand had his ninth and 10th playoff points at home and temporarily topped the NHL in playoff scoring (11). He allowed the Bruins to open the scoring early in the second period and set up Charlie Coyle’s goal.
Erik Haula, Derek Forbort and Curtis Lazar each scored their first of the series in the third period. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves in front of the net for Boston, who opened the doors to their opponents by taking four penalties in a row in the second period.
The Bruins tied the series 3-3 and now have the daunting task of winning a game in North Carolina. They have lost all three of their home visits to the Hurricanes in this series. The seventh and final clash will take place on Saturday.
“Everybody loves game number 7. We’d rather be at home, I don’t want to lie to you,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said. We will play them on the planet Mars if necessary. We now have to win a game and he is away. We knew we would have to win one there to move on to the next round. He is in front of us.”
Andrei Svechnikov gave the Hurricanes a boost when he slapped the needle at 3:24 of the final period, for the first of his two goals, but they were unable to tie the game. Antti Raanta gave up four times on 33 throws.
“The good news is there’s one more game to go,” Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said. Right now it’s difficult. To be honest, you should feel bad, but then you wake up and you’re excited to have this opportunity.”
After a first period in which the visitors offered convincing hockey, Marchand caused hysteria at TD Garden.
Back in his crease with the puck, Connor Clifton looked up and spotted a nice pass line to Marchand during a Hurricanes substitution. The Bruins’ No. 63 fired an accurate wrist shot that went over Raanta’s left shoulder.
The Bruins had a chance to double their lead when Charlie McAvoy escaped, but he couldn’t get a good backhand shot as he was hindered by a rival. Raanta stopped the puck in front of him.
It was only a postponement for the men of Bruce Cassidy. On a power play late in the second period, David Pastrnak’s shot was blocked by defenseman Ian Cole, but the puck landed on Coyle’s stick blade, who just had to send it in a free net.
Svechnikov made it interesting when his snappy wrist shot gave Swayman no chance, but less than four minutes later McAvoy slid the puck in the direction of Haula, who deftly redirected it past Raanta.
Forbort from the point and Lazar from an empty net then put the game away for the Bruins.
“I look forward. This will be the seventh game. We are extremely excited, assured Swayman. We couldn’t ask for anything more.”
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