After Loui Eriksson scored on the power-play 27 seconds into the third period to break a 1-1 tie, it seemed as if the Boston Bruins were going to end their losing streak. Guess again. The Bruins allowed a goal with 39 seconds left in regulation to Corey Perry and then in overtime on a snipe by Ryan Getzlaf to lose 3-2 in the extra frame after the Ottawa Senators lost to the New York Rangers Thursday night.

It was a very physical game at TD Garden with each team laying heavy hits all night long. Although the officiating could have been better, Boston knows they let one valuable point get away.

Whether it was goaltender interference on the game-tying goal, the hook called on Zdeno Chara in overtime, or the missed call on Adam McQuaid, the officials had a rough night, but that doesn’t change the fact the Black and Gold couldn’t build that always difficult two goal lead.

By letting the best team in the Western Conference hang around in the end came back to haunt them in a big way.

Although the B’s played the game they wanted highlighted by a tight defense, tight checking and getting pucks in deep, it just wasn’t enough and it left Head coach Claude Julien a little dumbfounded by a no call on the game-tying goal.

“Probably really disappointing that the goal was allowed,” Julien said post game. “There was no doubt goalie interference there and that’s why they talked about reviewing those kinds of goals and coaches’ challenges because you can’t allow those kinds of goals. This was a big point we lost tonight on a missed call. Those are the things that are hard to swallow right now.”

The story looked like it was going to write itself tonight with David Krejci returning to the lineup and notching two assists while the B’s ended their losing streak, but it just wasn’t that easy.

“It’s obviously disappointing,” Krejci said after playing in his first game since February 20th. “But I felt like we played a pretty decent game and 30 seconds left, shot from the point, tip, not much you can do about those. Kind of tough luck on our side, but it is what it is. We’ve got to battle through it. We had a little help from Ottawa today, so we’re tied. But, we can only look at their games, we have to make sure we play our game and win as many games as we can.”

Tuukka Rask protected the house the best he could saving 29 of 32 shots on the night, but silenced the Ducks until those 30 crucial seconds remained.

“Terrible, terrible feeling obviously,” Rask said. “But we played a great game and good kill there in the overtime and then a loss, tough to swallow.”

Adam McQuaid who was playing with an edge tonight believed tonight’s game was like a playoff game.

“Yeah it was a battle out there,” McQuaid said. “Some heavy bodies and guys being strong on pucks and obviously low scoring goal. Little disappointing because of the ending, but it was a hard fought battle.”

McQuaid played over 21 hard fought minutes for Boston on the night. He recorded four hits, had two penalty minutes and made sure his presence was felt on the ice the entire night. He didn’t take one play off and it was evident in the losing effort.

The Ducks proved why they are a Stanley Cup contender Thursday night in Boston. Anaheim’s Head coach Bruce Boudreau was happy that his team was able to come back and sneak out a victory against the B’s.

“Yeah, I mean that was really, we still need the points, but I was more happy with the way we played,” Boudreau said. “It was just the way we played. We didn’t give them a lot of chances, we took four penalties, which is too many. But on the five-on-five, we didn’t give them a lot of chances. I don’t know how many we ended up with, but I mean we had 36 after two periods so. That’s the way we play is on the boards and being physical and when we are doing that, we are an okay team.”

The B’s special teams were great tonight. They scored two power-play goals and killed off two crucial penalties including the Chara hook in overtime, but again, it just wasn’t enough to get over that hump.

It doesn’t get any easier for Julien and company as they welcome the New York Rangers to town Saturday afternoon. With just eight games remaining, the B’s need to find a way to capitalize on opportunities or else their summer will be longer than expected.