This afternoon at the TD Garden the Boston Bruins won their second match-up of the season against the Detroit Red Wings, 3-1, bringing their win streak to four in a row.
The Bruins had a few decent scoring opportunities in the first but they just couldn’t get one past Jimmy Howard until Brad Marchand’s fifth power play goal of the year came on a wicked smooth set up by David Backes and David Pastrnak on a 5-on-3 with 6:23 left to play in the first.
Playing a little tic-tac-toe before Christmas. #DETvsBOS pic.twitter.com/pjai0I8F5H
— NHL (@NHL) December 23, 2017
The Bruins defensive woes on the power play came to haunt them once again during their fifth game in eight days. Almost a minute after the Bruins took the lead, the Red Wings tied things up at 1-1 on a short-handed goal from Frans Nielsen that just trickled past Tuukka Rask after Darren Helm was able to force rookie Danton Heinen into a neutral zone turnover.
In the second period the Bruins were able to successfully kill off a pair of penalties, while exchanging puck possessions and blows with the Red Wings. There were plenty of opportunities for the Red Wings to put one away but the Bruins defense buckled down and did their job clearing pucks out from the front of the net.
Put this one in the books as a team save. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/BGTKvR7eaq
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 23, 2017
Just after six minutes into the third period, the Bruins took a 2-1 lead after a helluva battle by Marchand to keep the puck on his stick to set up Patrice Bergeron for his 9th goal of the year on a one-timer opportunity.
Kevan Miller won a tough battle down in the defensive corner during the final seconds of the third that would eventually lead to Bergeron‘s second goal of the game on an empty net.
Tuukka Rask had 30 saves on the day and Marchand had himself a three-point day with a goal and two assists. David Backes, who became a father once again early this morning, contributed with a pair of helpers. The Bruins are now 7-2-1 over their last 10 games.
UP NEXT: The Bruins have three days off before they welcome the Ottawa Senators to the TD Garden this Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. Catch the call of the game with Judd Sirott and Bob Beers live on 98.5 The Sports Hub with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m.
— By John ‘The Dude’ Hardiman, 985TheSportsHub.com