The Boston Bruins picked up another two points on their road trip with a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center on Tuesday night.
Boston now has taken five of a possible six points on this trip, which has kept the B’s in second place in a competitive Atlantic Division.
The Bruins improve to 22-17-5 with the victory, while the Blues fall to 21-15-5.
Here’s how it all went down.
RETURN OF THE CAPTAIN
Bruins center David Backes, who spent 10 years with the Blues before leaving them as a free agent last summer, returned to the Scottrade Center for the first time as a visiting player. He was met with applause during his first shift, and many Blues fans were seen wearing their Backes jerseys.
During one of the first-period TV timeouts, the Blues played a video tribute for Backes on the jumbotron.
FRANK THE TANK
Bruins winger Frank Vatrano showed off his great shot and quick release on the Bruins’ first goal of the game. Vatrano beat Blues goalie Jake Allen glove side to capitalize on Boston’s first power-play opportunity.
It was Vatrano’s third goal of the season.
FIRST-PERIOD DOMINATION
The Bruins doubled their lead when defenseman Brandon Carlo, who took two penalties in the period, scored a weird goal. The puck took a funny bounce behind Allen and trickled over the goal line. But the Bruins will take goals in any way possible given how much their offense has struggled throughout the season.
A little more than two minutes later, B’s winger Brad Marchand, fresh off his All-Star selection earlier Tuesday, fired a snapshot past Allen to give Boston a commanding 3-0 advantage. It was Marchand’s 14th goal of the season.
The B’s had an 11-2 lead in shots on goal in the frame, while also dominating puck possession and playing with a physical edge. Perhaps they were energized by the emotional tribute to their teammate.
GOAL DROUGHT OVER
Bruins defenseman Torey Krug gave his team a 4-0 lead with his first goal in 34 games. The tally came just 1:31 into the second period and occurred on the power play — Boston’s second goal with the man advantage.
PENALTY KILL STREAK SNAPPED
The Bruins increased their successful penalty kill steak to 19 in the first period, but it was snapped in the second frame when Blues D-man Colton Parayko fired a shot from the blue line that beat B’s goalie Tuukka Rask for a power-play goal.
DOWN A D-MAN
Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid left the game in the first period after being shaken up from dishing out a hit. The team provided an update on his status in the second period.
McQuaid never returned to the game.
MARCHAND SEALS IT
Marchand scored his second goal of the game and 15th on the season with an empty-net tally late in the third period to seal Boston’s win. He has scored five goals in the last three games.
RUSSIAN STAR SILENT
Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko entered the game ranked fourth in the NHL in points and fifth in goals scored, but the Bruins made sure he wasn’t a factor Tuesday night. B’s captain and No. 1 defenseman Zdeno Chara played a huge part in that.
UP NEXT
The Bruins finish their four-game road trip Thursday night against the Nashville Predators. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Jeff Curry/USA TODAY Sports Images
