BOSTON — So far, so good for the Boston Bruins in 2019.
After beating the Chicago Blackhawks in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, the B’s returned to TD Garden on Thursday and opened a four-game homestand with a 6-4 win over the Pacific Division-leading Calgary Flames.
The Flames took an early 1-0 lead, but the Bruins responded with two quick goals to take the lead after one. After Calgary knotted the scored early in the second, Brad Marchand broke the tie with a tip-in goal.
Calgary threatened to tie the game at multiple points in a wild third period that saw five goals in total, but in the end the B’s grabbed a crucial win.
Marchand and Jake DeBrusk each scored twice, while John Moore and David Pastrnak each scored once.
With the win, the Bruins improved to 23-14-4, while the Flames fell to 25-13-4.
Here’s how it all went down:
FLAME ON
The Bruins looked to be in good shape to strike first when they went on an extended 5-on-3 power play midway through the first. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned as the Flames opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal at 7:46 in the period.
Mark Jankowski started the shorthanded rush, but Jaroslav Halak was able to make two stops before Michael Frolik stuck home the rebound to make it 1-0.
B’S ANSWER FAST
With the Bruins still on the power play, they evened the score a little over a minute after the Frolik goal when Moore ripped one in from outside the face-off circle.
The game wouldn’t remain tied for much longer, as Boston took the lead at the 14:19 mark in the first. David Krejci unleashed a wrister at Flames netminder Mike Smith and DeBrusk tipped it home for his 12th goal of the season.
BACK AND FORTH
The start of the second period was frantic, as Johnny Gaudreau split two Bruins defenders and fired a shot at Halak. The Bruins netminder made the save and the puck appeared to get stuck in his skate blade. The officials didn’t blow the whistle and Elias Lindholm skated in and poked it across the line to tie the game.
The Bruins challenged the goal, but it was upheld.
Boston answered less than 30 seconds later when Marchand redirected a Torey Krug shot past Smith to make it 3-2.
POWER PASTA
Boston opened the third period on the man advantage after Lindholm was sent to the box at the end of the second for interference. It didn’t take long for the B’s to capitalize, as Pastrnak found the back of the net 54 seconds into the third to give the Bruins a 4-2 lead.
WILD FINISH
The Flames made the Bruins sweat as Gaudreau ripped in a snipe from the shortside at 9:27 in the third.
Boston struck again at the 13:46 mark. After Danton Heinen blocked a shot near the blue line, DeBrusk gathered the puck, skated into the offensive zone and stuck a nifty backhand shot past Smith to make it 5-3.
Calgary didn’t go away, though, as Mikael Backlund put home a top-shelf backhand shot at 16:27 to bring the Flames within one.
But Marchand iced the game for Boston, putting home an empty-net goal to secure the win.
UP NEXT
Boston will take the ice again Saturday when it hosts the Buffalo Sabres. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.
This Bruins Wrap is presented by Plainridge Park Casino.
