BOSTON — Patrick Maroon had a rather simple — and humble — explanation after his first NHL hat trick.
“The puck was going my way tonight and I got a couple lucky bounces,” Maroon said the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 victory over Boston on Thursday night.
The Oilers’ victory spoiled the Bruins’ tribute to Milt Schmidt, a Hall of Famer and patriarch of the Bruins family, who died Wednesday.
Other than the pregame ceremony, the night belonged to the Oilers, and to Maroon, as Edmonton rebounded from a dismal performance in Columbus on Tuesday night and from a 2-1 second-period deficit in this game. They denied the Bruins at least a point for the first time in the last 17 games of the series between the teams (Boston was 13-0-3 coming in).
It was the Oilers’ second straight win at TD Garden but the first in regulation in just over 20 years.
“It is a good feeling, a special feeling obviously,” said Maroon, who has six goals in the last seven games, 14 for the season. “Like I told people before, growing up and when I first stepped into the league I never thought I’d score an NHL hat trick — for a big guy like me — but I did it and my linemates were really good tonight. Without my linemates, I don’t I’d get that hat trick. They made really good plays for me.”
On Friday, the Boston Bruins’ plane was diverted to Miami International Airportbecause of a shooting at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Five people were killed and eight wounded after an arriving airline passenger with a gun in his luggage opened fire before surrendering to authorities.
“The thoughts and prayers of the Bruins’ organization are with the victims of today’s shooting and the entire Fort Lauderdale community,” the team said in a statement.
The team’s charter flight landed in Miami at 5:05 p.m. as Boston (20-17-4) prepares to open a four-game road trip against the Atlantic Division-rival Florida Panthers (16-15-8) on Saturday (7 p.m.).
On Thursday night, Connor McDavid, who turns 20 next week, assisted on Maroon’s first two goals, re-taking the league lead in scoring.
After Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a rebound deflect off his body and past Tuukka Rask 14 seconds into the third period, Maroon capped his hat trick by making the Boston defense and Rask look silly while walking out of the corner and getting the puck by the goaltender.
The Bruins challenged the goal, saying Maroon was offside as the play entered the zone. After review, the goal stood and Boston dropped its second straight and fell to 9-10 at home.
Down 4-2, the Bruins (20-17-4) were given a late two-man advantage, with David Krejci banging home a rebound on a Patrice Bergeron shot with two seconds left in the first penalty, 2:56 in the game. They then had a minute left on the power play but couldn’t get the puck past Cam Talbot either then or after they pulled Rask.
“We were the better team, there’s no questions there,” said Julien. “Just gave them too many gifts.
“A wasted good effort … those are frustrating nights, frustrating losses.”
Talbot, making his NHL-high 36th start of the season, made 33 saves and was also beaten by goals by Colin Miller and Bergeron.
Asked about the first regulation win in Boston in two decades, Talbot said, “I had no idea on that. There’s so much turnover, but I’m sure that’s a big weight off the back for this organization.”
Rask made 21 saves in the loss.
The Oilers (20-13-7) scored just 68 seconds into the game — Maroon converting a nifty pass from McDavid.
The Bruins had the score tied at 1 just 7:16 into the period — and Boston took a 2-1 lead 7:16 into the second period when Bergeron scored his third in the last four games.
Maroon tied it at 2, whirling and converting a rebound of an Eric Gryba shot at 10:43.
NOTES: The Bruins were wearing a commemorative No. 15 patch, the No. 15 was emblazoned behind each goal and there was a pregame video presentation for Milt Schmidt, called “The Ultimate Bruin.” … Edmonton LW Milan Lucic, a former Bruin, tweeted: “Rip Milt Schmidt. One of the greatest Bruins of all time.” … Bruins G Anton Khudobin cleared waivers but still dressed as Tuukka Rask’s backup Thursday. Rookie Zane McIntyre, 10-0 at Providence, may well be recalled to play one of the two back-to-back road games on Saturday at Florida and Sunday at Carolina, the start of a four-game trip. … Bruins RW David Backes, cleared to practice Wednesday, missed his third game with a concussion. … Edmonton D Brandon Davidson missed the game because of illness, former Boston University D Eric Gryba taking his place. … The Oilers play the third game of their four-game road trip on Saturday at New Jersey.