Marchand, Geekie multi-goal game, Swayman’s 20 saves and more: 3 reasons why Boston Bruins won 4-2 over Chicago Blackhawks

The Boston Bruins handed the Chicago Blackhawks their 16th loss of the season on Wednesday night at United Center.

Morgan Geekie and captain Brad Marchand both scored two goals to give the Bruins a 4-2 win. Meanwhile, Alex Vlasic and Jason Dickinson scored for the Blackhawks. Jeremy Swayman made 20 saves to give the Bruins their 14th win of the year.

Here’s a closer look at three reasons why Boston won on Wednesday night against Chicago.

3 reasons why Boston Bruins won 4-2 over Chicago Blackhawks

#3. Bruins outplayed Blackhawks

On the whole, the Bruins outplayed the Blackhawks on Wednesday. Boston outshot Chicago 27-22 but had a decided edge in the faceoff circle winning nearly 63% of the draws. Also, the Bruins outmuscled the Blackhawks, outhitting them 22-12. While the Blackhawks blocked more shots, the difference wasn’t significant at 16-14.

It’s worth pointing out that the Bruins’ apparent lack of effort earlier this season seems to be nothing more than a blip on the radar screen. Under Joe Sacco, the Bruins have become a hardworking team. As a result, the wins have begun piling up thanks to B’s tight-checking, hard-hitting approach.

#2. Jeremy Swayman was big once again

As Jeremy Swayman goes so do the Bruins. Swayman made 20 saves on the night. While that’s not an eye-popping total, Swayman’s consistency provided the Bruins with the confidence needed to play a tight game.

Swayman is 3-2 in his last five starts but has not given up more than three goals in each start. The toughest loss during that span was a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks. Nevertheless, Swayman’s strong performances have helped the Bruins stay in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

#1. Marchand, Geekie multi-goal game

The B’s did not lack for offense on the night. The Bruins got two goals each from Brad Marchand and Morgan Geekie, delivering plenty of support for Swayman in goal. Marchand’s second of the night proved to be the game-winner while Geekie’s second was the insurance goal Boston needed to ice the game.

Moving forward, the Bruins will need to get consistent in scoring to ensure they remain in the playoff picture.

The Bruins will be off until Saturday when they host the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden.