BOSTON – Tyler Johnson netted the game-winning goal with 12:10 left in the third period, as the Boston Bruins bumped off the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1, Wednesday in exhibition action at TD Garden.
Johnson, Justin Brazeau, Charlie Coyle and Mark Kastelic all scored for Boston. Goalie Brandon Bussi made 13 saves.
The Bruins blitzed Philadelphia outshooting them 18-3 by the first intermission and 24-9 heading into the third period.
Morgan magic
With Brad Marchand making his preseason debut, the Bruins finally got to audition prospective second line right wingers to play with the team captain and center Charlie Coyle.
Morgan Geekie got the first shot and was highly effective. The speedy winger added hustle and a persistent push from his opening shift. He continued to buzz the Philly net in the closing moments of the stanza, with another great look, feeding off the playmaking of Coyle.
“I though Geekie was really good in the first period,” said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. “I thought that line was good, and it was good to see Charlie Coyle out there. He was playing poised, and he looked good.”
Unfortunately, the audition only lasted a period, after Marchand left the game with an illness.
A 6-foot-3, 202-pound winger, Geekie posted career-best numbers last season. He netted 17 goals, 22 assists and 39 points in 76 regular season games. By way of comparison, DeBrusk delivered 19 goals, 29 assists and 40 points in 80 games, before leaving for Vancouver as a free agent.
Bussi battles back
After a tough go in the Big Apple last week, Bruins goaltender Brandon Bussi bounced back to fend off the Flyers.
The Bruins goaltender made 13 saves in the victory.
Holding a 1-0 lead, the 6-foot-4, 218-pound southpaw netminder surrendered the game-tying goal off a rebound to Travis Konecny.
But Bussi came up big late in the second. He stoned center Jacob Gaucher of an initial drive, before denying Russian sharpshooter Matvei Michkov on the rebound with 7:46 remaining in second period. He stayed strong in the third period, stoning Anthony Richard with a snapping glove save.
He may have saved his best stop for last, however, robbing Sean Couturier of a possible game-tying tally, with a pad save with 3:30 to play,
The goalie previously surrendered four goals, including three in the opening period, as the Rangers rolled to a 5-2 victory in exhibition play at Madison Square Garden.
Bussi is currently vying for Boston’s backup role behind Joonas Korpisalo, while restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman remains out in a contract dispute.
Bruins lines
Pavel Zacha – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak
Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – Morgan Geekie
Trent Frederic – Tyler Johnson – Justin Brazeau
Johnny Beecher – Mark Kastelic – Cole Koepke
Hampus Lindholm – Charlie McAvoy
Mason Lohrei – Brandon Carlo
Nikita Zadorov – Andrew Peeke
Brandon Bussi
Michael DiPietro
Scratches
Forwards Matt Poitras, Max Jones, Patrick Brown, Vinni Lettieri, Riley Tufte, Jeffery Viel. Defensemen Parker Wotherspoon, Ian Mitchell, Jordan Oesterle, Alec Regula, Billy Sweezey. Goalie Joonas Korpisalo.
Up Next
After a scheduled day off on Wednesday, the Bruins return to action with a Thursday night exhibition game against the Los Angeles Kings in Quebec City.
