Second period quick hits

– Bruins fans didn’t have to wait long for Keith Yandle to start giving back. Okay, the pipe dream of Yandle becoming a Bruin is just that (for now), but he did help the B’s get a 3-0 lead when Patrice Bergeron’s backhander hit his skate. Bergeron’s 18th of the season ties him for the team lead with Marchand, who scored his 18th goal in the first period. Reilly Smith assisted on both goals giving him eight points in his last seven games.

– The Bruins’ dominance continued when Zdeno Chara fired a one-timer past Mike Smith on their third power play of the game. Smith’s night ended on Chara’s fifth on the season. Reilly Smith added another assist for his third helper of the night (a new career high in a single game), while Milan Lucic got the secondary assist and now has a multiple point night. Carl Soderberg set a nice screen on the Arizona net-minder to seal the deal.

– Even though he’s faced 22 shots, Tuukka Rask has had a relatively routine night through 40 minutes. Most of the shots have came from the point and low percentage areas. His only big save came on Sam Gagner’s backhand in the slot to start the middle stanza, but even Gagner didn’t get much of a shot.

– At some point, Brian Ferlin will get his first NHL goal. His speed and quickness have given the Bruins a spark since he was called up from Providence last week.

– The Coyotes will have 1:24 of power play time to start the third period. At this rate, they’ll just be happy to get out of Boston afterwards.

First period quick hits

– Mike Smith may want to spend a little extra time on his puck handling skills at practice. The Coyotes goalie misplayed a bounce that led to Milan Lucic’s 13th of the season just 2:40 into the contest.

– Sure Lucic might have lucked out on Smith’s blunder, but it’s refreshing to see him play with a good edge lately with David Pastrnak and Ryan Spooner. The trio were instrumental in Friday’s win over the Devils, and they’re picking up right where they left off through 20 minutes against the Coyotes. Spooner’s speed, Pastrnak’s playmaking and Lucic’s big body make for an interesting dynamic and Claude Julien should consider keeping this unit together, even when David Krejci heals from his partially torn MCL.

– Don’t look now, but Reilly Smith is starting to heat up again. The second line forward has seven points in as many games following his tape to tape pass to Brad Marchand to make it 2-0 Bruins. Marchand now leads the B’s in goals with 18.

– On the second goal, Marchand breezed by Antoine Vermette to set himself up at the faceoff circle. That’s not a good look for Vermette, who Peter Chiarelli is rumored to have an interest in acquiring prior to Monday’s trade deadline. On the other hand, I’m a little surprised that the Coyotes are dressing Vermette as they could be risking an injury, and thus little to no return (if any) for their first line center.