The Boston Bruins did exactly what they needed to do Saturday night against the New Jersey Devils and ultimately earned a 3-2 victory.
The B’s never trailed against the lowly Devils, and Ryan Spooner broke a 2-2 tie at the 8:18 mark in the third period to send the crowd at TD Garden home happy.
Boston outshot the Devils 40-17 and goaltender Anton Khudobin made 15 saves to get the win in net.
The Bruins improve to 34-25-6 with the win, while the Devils fall to 25-27-12.
Here’s how it all went down.
FIRST GAME
Drew Stafford made his Bruins debut Saturday night skating alongside Frank Vatrano and Spooner. He replaced Jimmy Hayes in the lineup.
BRUINS BREAKTHROUGH
The Bruins went on their second power play of the night when the Devils’ Taylor Hall was sent to the penalty box for tripping during the second period. It didn’t take long for the B’s to find the back of the net with the man advantage. David Pastrnak poked the puck to Torey Krug in the slot and Krug smoked the puck past Devils goaltender Cory Schneider to give Boston a 1-0 lead at the 7:06 mark in the period. It was Krug’s sixth tally of the season.
NO GOAL
After Hall was sent to the box for tripping again, it appeared that Stafford had scored the first goal of his Bruins career when he poked the puck under Schneider’s leg pad. The Devils, however, challenged for goaltender interference and the score was nullified.
MOMENTUM SWING
Right as the B’s power play came to an end, New Jersey’s Devante Smith-Pelly got to a loose puck and put it past Khudobin on the breakaway to tie the game at 1-1. Smith-Pelly’s goal was his fourth of the season.
BRUINS BACK UP
With time winding down in the second period, the Bruins got a little lucky at the 18:25 mark. Patrice Bergeron had his pass deflected and Brandon Carlo gathered the puck and tossed a backhanded attempt at the net. The puck hit off of Devils winger Nick Lappin’s stick and snuck past Schneider. The goal was Carlo’s sixth of the season and gave the Bruins a one-goal lead after two periods.
DEVILS TIE IT UP
The Devils squared the game at the 5:51 mark in the third period. Hall blocked a shot from Carlo that created a 2-on-1 the other way. Hall then shuffled a pass to Kyle Palmieri and he beat Khudobin to tie it at 2-2.
SPOONER STRIKES
Less than three minutes after New Jersey tied the game, the B’s retook the lead. Vatrano controlled the puck behind the net and sent it toward Stafford, who found a wide open Spooner who put home his 11th goal of the season at the 8:18 mark.
UP NEXT
The Bruins will take the ice again Monday when they visit the Ottawa Senators. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
