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Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins

Bruins stay atop Atlantic with win over Penguins

By Ty Anderson
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 13: Pavel Zacha #18 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period during the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 13, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

It may have been a bit messier than they would have liked, but the Bruins ended Saturday the same way they began it, as Saturday’s 6-4 win over the Penguins at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena kept the Bruins atop the Atlantic Division.

Boston’s win came with six goals in total — with six different scorers for the club — while goaltender Linus Ullmark stopped 28 of 32 shots thrown his way for his third straight win and his sixth win in his last eight outings.

In addition to their win keeping them atop the Atlantic, Toronto’s overtime loss to the Red Wings also guaranteed that the Bruins will have home-ice advantage in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Bruins can officially finish no worse than in second place in the division.

  • Following a scoreless opening frame, the Bruins struck first with two goals in 14 seconds, with the first scored by Jake DeBrusk and second courtesy of Pavel Zacha.

    DeBrusk’s first goal in nine games came with a second-chance jab and push through the Penguins’ Alex Nedeljkovic after a save on an Andrew Peeke bid. The goal was DeBrusk’s first since Mar. 21 against the Rangers, and has put him in striking distance for what would be the fourth 20-goal season of his career, as DeBrusk is sitting at 19 goals on the year with two games to play.

    Zacha’s tally, meanwhile, was his 20th of the season and has given the Czech-born center back-to-back 20-goal seasons. It also tied his single-season career-high in points (57), though Zacha came through with an assist by the night’s end, setting a new single-season career-high of 58 points.

  • A goal from Bryan Rust would put the Penguins back within striking distance, but the Bruins added another two goals on the board with markers from Kevin Shattenkirk and Brad Marchand.

    Pittsburgh made the switch to Tristan Jarry in goal following the Shattenkirk goal, but Marchand victimized him the way the B’s did Nedeljkovic, as Marchand’s marker came on the first shot Jarry faced.

    Mr. Tenkrat on Twitter: "No idea what EK is doing but Marchand shorty 4-1 pic.twitter.com/2aGiyDq3AU / Twitter"

    No idea what EK is doing but Marchand shorty 4-1 pic.twitter.com/2aGiyDq3AU

  • A Michael Bunting power-play goal before the end of the second period put a cap on what was a six-goal second period between the sides, and while the Penguins made things awfully interesting with a shorthanded goal that made it a one-goal game less than five minutes into the third period, Boston’s depth once again came to the rescue.

    Beginning with Morgan Geekie’s strike to push the Bruins back out to a two-goal edge, the Bruins found their dagger by way of Danton Heinen’s empty-net strike with 2:47 remaining in the third period.

  • Apr 13, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (27) moves the puck past Pittsburgh Penguins center Lars Eller (20) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

    Apr 13, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (27) moves the puck past Pittsburgh Penguins center Lars Eller (20) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Philip G. Pavely/USA TODAY Sports)

    In addition to the balanced scoring and depth coming to the table throughout the evening, Saturday night in Pittsburgh also came with the Bruins debut of Pat Maroon.

    Deployed for 13:16 of time on ice, Maroon finished this contest with one shot and four hits, and had a great first-period chance off a feed from the Bruins’ Jesper Boqvist.

    With Shattenkirk back in the lineup, Parker Wotherspoon took a seat on Boston’s healthy scratch on the backend.

    The Bruins will be back in action Monday night against the Capitals.

  • (Click here to subscribe to the Sports Hub Underground podcast.)

    Matt & Ty are back with a brand-new episode on the Bruins, WrestleMania, and more.

    (0:50) Opening banter on WrestleMania and Matt’s whole trip to Philadelphia.

    (17:21) Discussing the Bruins’ recent loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

    (23:06) Looking at other possible playoff opponents for the Bruins.

    (27:43) Reacting to the Bruins’ apparent decision to alternate goalies to start the playoffs.

    (44:45) Other players the guys would like to see step up in the playoffs.

    (56:51) Matt & Ty draft their “Big 3” disappointments.

    Subscribe to the Sports Hub Underground wherever you get your podcasts.

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Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Bruins. 

Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. He has been covering the Bruins since 2010, and has been a member of the Boston chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Yell at him on Twitter/X: @_TyAnderson.

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