The Bruins and Winnipeg Jets went down to the wire in Boston’s return to action.
Winnipeg pulled off the shootout victory, earning a 4-3 win Tuesday night at TD Garden.
Patrice Bergeron scored twice for the B’s, while David Pastrnak netted a goal and added two assists. Brad Marchand picked up three helpers. Kyle Connor scored twice for Winnipeg, and potted the winner in the shootout.
Jaroslav Halak finished with 24 saves, while Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck was impressive, making 36 stops.
The Bruins fall to 27-17-6 with the loss, while the Jets climb to 32-16-2 with the win.
Here’s how it all went down:
BRUINS GET BUSY
The Bruins unleashed an offensive onslaught in the opening 20 minutes, firing 20 shots on net to the Jets’ eight, as Boston’s top line produced two goals to take a 2-1 lead into the second.
Both teams needed the opening minutes to find their footing, but it was the Bruins that produced two early chances with Peter Cehlarik and Jake DeBrusk each getting grade-A chances on net down by the goal line, but neither could beat Hellebuyck.
Bergeron put Boston on the board 9:49 into the period with with a snapped shot from the slot off a Brad Marchand feed from below the goal line, beating Hellbuyck short side.
A Brandon Carlo cross-check penalty led to Winnipeg tying the game on the power play. Josh Morrissey found the twine from the point at 13:53, five seconds after the penalty, with Connor providing the screen in front.
But the Bruins continued to push the play in the final minutes and made their way back in front with a power-play goal of their own. The B’s unleashed an all-out attack on Hellebuyck following a Blake Wheeler trip at 17:01. After several key looks at net, Pastrnak finally lasered one through at 18:33. Marchand recorded his second assist of the game on the play, dishing a cross-ice pass to Pasta for the one-timer.
FISTS FLY
Boston couldn’t double up on an aggressive opening period, getting outshot by Winnipeg 9-5 in a scoreless second.
Halak bailed out the B’s, robbing Wheeler on the doorstep with 7:16 to play in the period after a turnover behind the net.
Kevan Miller got the Bruins energized with a massive hit on on Adam Lowry that sparked a fight between the two at 15:47.
Tempers continued to flare when a net-front skirmish led to an epic fight between Trent Frederic and Brandon Tanev at 16:16.
BRUINS SECURE POINT
After the Jets took a 3-2 lead early in the third, the Bruins fought back, tying the game midway through the period to force overtime.
Connor scored twice in 34 seconds to give the Jets the lead 5:01 into the third.
The Jets winger tied it after a feed in transition, splitting the defense and beating Halak. His second came off a feed from Mark Scheifele, who found Connor in the slot. Connor slammed the pass top shelf over Halak’s right shoulder.
Bergeron came to the rescue at 11:39, chipping in a cross-ice feed from Marchand on a 2-on-1 rush that deflected up and over Hellbuyck.
OT NOT ENOUGH
The B’s got the majority of the chances in overtime, but neither team was able to break through, sending the game to a shootout.
SHOOUTOUT
Connor lifted the Jets with the lone shootout goal, with Hellbuyck stopping DeBrusk, Pastrnak and Marchand.
UP NEXT
The Bruins will remain at home for a tilt against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
This Bruins Wrap is presented by Plainridge Park Casino.
