Gaudreau hat trick helps Flames top B's in OT

Under coach Claude Julien, the Boston Bruins have almost always played tight, low-scoring defensive slugfests.

This season, we’re watching the bizarro-Claude Julien Bruins. Thanks to a subpar defense, a struggling Tuukka Rask in net and an offense that has surprisingly overachieved, their games have averaged a league-best 6.09 goals (the league average is only 5.3 goals). It’s almost as if they are trying to end the NHL’s goal-scoring issues all on their own.

They continued to do so Friday night in chaotic 5-4 loss to the Calgary Flames.

After the two teams combined for six goals in the first 23 minutes, including a three-minute stretch to open the second period where the teams scored three goals in rapid succession, things slowed down until late in the third period. It was at that point where things really started to get crazy.

That is when former Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton (traded to Calgary in a stunning blockbuster over the summer) slashed Brad Marchand on a short-handed breakaway with 1:06 to play to give him a penalty shot. Marchand capitalized and gave his team a 4-3 lead.

Just as the Bruins appeared to be on their way to a win, Calgary’s Jiri Hudler was in the right place at the right time and jammed a loose puck into the net after it bounced off of several bodies in front with just 1.2 seconds remaining on the clock to send the game to overtime.

The @NHLFlames leave it to (nearly) the last second to tie the game. #BOSvsCGY https://t.co/SUt3nWJ1CB

— NHL (@NHL) December 5, 2015

The Flames did not waste their opportunity in overtime.

Johnny Gaudreau scored his third goal of the game (and ninth of the season) 3:20 into the extra period to complete the hat trick thanks to an assist from Hamilton.

Johnny Gaudreau = #BOSvsCGY https://t.co/B9e4sKLcBP

— NHL (@NHL) December 5, 2015

The Flames made a habit of winning games like this last season on their way to a surprising playoff berth. Their luck has run out a bit this season and they entered play Friday tied for the worst record in the NHL, but for one night they were at least able to recapture some of that magic.

Jiri Hudler’s buzzer-beating goal sent the Calgary Flames to overtime on Friday night. (USATSI)

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.