BOSTON (AP) - The Bruins haven’t lost in regulation at home yet, and there they were trailing the Blackhawks 3-0 in the third period - Boston’s first three-goal deficit of the season.
“Digging the hole 2-0, letting them score (17) seconds into the third,” Bruins forward David Backes said. “It’s not a recipe for success.”
Jonathan Toews scored 54 seconds into overtime, and the Blackhawks recovered after blowing a three-goal, third-period lead to beat Boston 4-3 on Thursday night and end the Bruins’ eight-game winning streak.
“This team always plays good in their building,” Toews said. “It’s unfortunate we kind of gave them the chances. … It’s nice to get the win, even though they turned the momentum their way in the third period.”
The Bruins had not lost since Nov. 16. But their third-period comeback preserved another streak: No Boston pro team has lost a home game in regulation since the Baltimore Orioles beat the Red Sox on Sept. 28.
Neither the Patriots nor Celtics have lost at home this season, and the Bruins are now 12-0-5.
“That’s just high standards, trying to keep up with everyone else,” Bruins defenseman Torey Krug said. “We’re very, very lucky to be part of such a great sports town. So we’ll try to keep the momentum going.”
Toews picked up the puck after a turnover by David Pastrnak and skated in on Tuukka Rask before backhanding it between the goalie’s legs. The crowd, which thought Pastrnak had been tripped, began showering the ice with garbage.
“I thought it was a penalty,” Pastrnak said. “I had a free lane to the net.”
Robin Lehner made 37 saves for the Blackhawks, who had lost six of their previous seven games. Ryan Carpenter and Dylan Strome scored 37 seconds apart at the end of the first period, and Alex DeBrincat scored off the opening faceoff of the third period to make it 3-0.
Tuukka Rask made 26 saves for the Bruins.
The Bruins thought they opened the scoring early in the first period when Matt Grzelcyk’s shot, which may have been tipped by Jake DeBrusk, found its way under Lehner’s right pad and came to rest behind him, about six inches from the goal line. DeBrusk - and pretty much everyone else - stopped, thinking it was a goal, but when no whistle came Calvin de Haan swept the puck away and play continued.
The Blackhawks, who went almost nine minutes before getting their first shot, took a 1-0 lead on a short-handed goal when Charlie McAvoy whiffed on the puck at the blue line and Carpenter skated off with it, passing to Zack Smith in the Bruins zone and then scoring on the rebound.
Just 37 seconds later, on the power play, Strome tipped a shot from Erik Gustafsson over Rask’s shoulder to make it 2-0. DeBrincat made it 3-0 17 seconds into the third.
But that lasted just 1:32 before Joakim Nordstrom cut the deficit to 3-1. Chris Wagner made it 3-2 on an unassisted, short-handed wrist shot with 4:59 left, and then Krug tied it with 2:33 remaining in regulation.
“They have really good players, they’re a good team, they’re at home. They’re not going to go away,” Chicago coach Jeremy Colliton said. “They found a way to come back. That’s disappointing. But it’s a big point for us.”
NOTES: It was DeBrincat’s first goal in 13 games. …. In addition to the Patriots (5-0) and Celtics (8-0), the New England Revolution won their final home game on Sept. 29. The Boston Pride of the National Women’s Hockey League are 9-0 at home this season.
NEXT
Blackhawks: At New Jersey on Friday night.
Bruins: Host Colorado on Saturday night.
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