Bruins rookie earning trust, crucial third period minutes

BOSTON — With 1 minute, 34 seconds remaining and the Bruins’ clinging to a one-goal lead over the Flyers coming out of a timeout, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery sent Johnny Beecher out on the ice to take a faceoff in the Boston end.

It was just Beecher’s second game in the NHL since mid-January and he’s still technically in the NHL on an emergency basis. But in a spot where the Bruins needed either a faceoff win or someone defensively responsible if they lost the faceoff, Montgomery tabbed Beecher.

He won the faceoff, his fifth win on eight draws. Boston had a few more anxious moments, but held on to win the game, 6-5. Beecher played 19 shifts for 14:59 of ice time. That was more shifts and more time than his fellow fourth-liners or anyone who started the game on the third line. He played six of those shifts in the third period for 5:07. Beecher added his sixth goal of the season early in the third period as well.