BOSTON — Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk each scored twice to help the Boston Bruins to a third straight win, 6-4 against the Calgary Flames at TD Garden on Thursday.
Jaroslav Halak made 33 saves for the Bruins (23-14-4), who have won six of their past eight games, including a 4-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Tuesday.
“That was our main focus, obviously after a big event, a big game like that, you want to continue to build success and your brand of hockey,” DeBrusk said. “I thought we did a good job of that tonight considering how deep and good they are, they had some spurts that they were coming at us. But it was a big team effort from everybody, we had some big blocks at key times and also big saves. So it was just a matter of trying to score and respond when they score and then play defensively.”
[WATCH: All Flames vs. Bruins highlights]
Johnny Gaudreau had one goal and one assist, and Mike Smith made 21 saves for the Flames (25-13-4), who had won two in a row and three of four.
“When you’re chasing from behind, we’ve had some success throughout the season there, but it doesn’t always go your way when you’re down a goal or two trying to battle back throughout the game,” Gaudreau said.
Michael Frolik gave the Flames a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal at 7:46 of the first period. Frolik exited the box when he got to a rebound of Mark Jankowski‘s shot and scored on a backhand.
The Bruins tied it at 1-1 at 9:02 on a power-play goal by John Moore from the right circle.
Video: CGY@BOS: Moore pots wrister from circle for PPG
DeBrusk gave Boston a 2-1 lead with a tip-in off a David Krejci pass at 14:19. Elias Lindholm scored at 1:05 of the second period to tie it 2-2. Halak stopped Gaudreau’s breakaway, but Lindholm poked the puck from under the goalie’s left pad into the net.
Calgary did not score on four power plays during the second period.
“We had an extended 5-on-3 that we didn’t capitalize on, and we had some good looks, or I should say good opportunities on the power play, especially in the middle of the game,” Flames coach Bill Peters said. “Four straight, I believe. So we didn’t take advantage of that and I think it hurt us.”
Marchand gave Boston a 3-2 lead at 1:41 with a tip-in from the right side of the crease.
David Pastrnak‘s power-play goal 54 seconds into the third period made it 4-2. Torey Krug shot the puck off the end wall and Pastrnak got inside Flames defenseman Travis Hamonic to retrieve it. Pastrnak deked forehand and scored on a backhand.
“I think we’ve done it three times this year where we’ve actually gotten a chance off it,” Krug said. “A great play by [Pastrnak] to collect it and bring it to his backhand.”
Video: CGY@BOS: Pastrnak dekes, beats Smith for PPG
Gaudreau got Calgary within 4-3 at 9:27 when his shot from below the goal line to the left of the net went in off Halak’s back.
DeBrusk extended the Bruins’ lead to 5-3 at 13:46 with a backhand on a 2-on-1 with Krejci.
Backlund made it 5-4 at 16:27. Marchand scored an empty-net goal at 18:10 for the 6-4 final.
They said it
“I mean I feel way better about my game than I did at the start of the season. So this is one where they get a couple fluky tips there and they make a great play at the start of the third to go ahead … so I think it’s definitely a process.” — Flames goalie Mike Smith
“So it was tough to focus sometimes on the game but just tried to stay focused, tried to keep my head in the game, talk on the bench and things like that. My teammates did a good job too. Like I said, it was a special day, and with a win at the end, it was kind of the cherry on top of the cake.” — Bruins center David Krejci, whose wife gave birth to a son Thursday morning
Need to know
Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller played his 300th NHL game. … Gaudreau has 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 42 games played this season, which ties the Calgary/Atlanta record for fewest games to reach 60 points (Bob MacMillan, 1978-79). … Halak got his third assist of the season on Pastrnak’s goal. He’s one shy of the Bruins record for assists by a goaltender (Eddie Johnston, 1971-72; Gerry Cheevers, 1976-77). … Calgary leads the NHL with 13 shorthanded goals.
What’s next
Flames: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSP, SN, NHL.TV)
Bruins: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, NESN, MSG-B, NHL.TV)
from A Viral Update http://bit.ly/2VuxbgZ
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