McDonagh stays home with family after shooting in Nashville
NHL player and New York Rangers’ captain Ryan McDonagh decided to stay home with his three daughters, Falan, Murphy, and Nola, after a devastating school shooting in Nashville, where their family resides. The shooting at the Covenant School took the lives of three nine-year-old students and three adult staffers in the community.
McDonagh flies to Boston and leads Predators to 2-1 victory
Despite the tragedy that hit close to home, McDonagh caught a commercial flight from Nashville to Boston and helped lead the Predators to a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins. McDonagh commented that with his kids close to home, he feels “it hits definitely different.”
Predators bring relief to shaken community through their game
McDonagh’s inspiring effort on the ice was supported by his team, as they felt it was important to bring some relief to their shaken community. They did so by representing their city through their game against the Bruins. Each team went 0-for-5 on the power play during the game.
Bruins honor shooting victims with moment of silence
Prior to the game, the Bruins honored the victims of the Covenant School shooting with a moment of silence. During which, they announced solidarity with the Nashville Predators against gun violence.
Bruins struggle with power play as Predators’ defense prevails
The Boston Bruins were unable to find an equalizer despite a strong final 20-minute surge against the Nashville Predators. David Pastrnak scored a goal for Boston which proved to be only a consolation goal. Meanwhile, Linus Ullmark made 21 saves for the Bruins but their power play was ineffective throughout the game. Cole Smith scored an empty-net goal for the Predators, while Saros made 15 saves in the third period.
Bruins’ captain and coach analyze their recent loss
Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron, alternate captain Brad Marchand, and coach Jim Montgomery all attributed their loss to not playing up to their standard and disrespecting the game. Montgomery acknowledged the Bruins have been changing their power play strategy but emphasized that players must commit to doing the right thing for success. Nearly two months of a power-play drought has affected the players’ confidence. Bergeron noted that the Bruins are “forcing plays” and too often failing to generate follow-up opportunities.
Bruins still in contention for Presidents’ Trophy
The Boston Bruins will have another chance to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy with a win against Columbus at TD Garden on Thursday night, as they hope to secure their record 58th win of the season.
In summary, while Boston suffered a disappointing loss, both teams came together before and after the game to express solidarity with Nashville, which is making a run at the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Despite the tragedy that occurred close to home, McDonagh’s inspiring effort on the ice sent a strong message of hope to his community.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
