The Bruins have lost two straight games in regulation for the first time this season.
Boston jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the opening first period, but the Detroit Red Wings responded just 1:32 later before scoring three more goals, putting the B’s into a hole they couldn’t crawl out of in the eventual 4-2 loss at Little Caesars Arena.
David Krejci and Torey Krug accounted for Boston’s goals, while David Pastrnak extended his point streak to 14 games with an assist on Krug’s tally. Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots in the loss, while Jonathan Bernier was stellar, robbing Pastrnak of what would have been the game-tying goal for one of his 27 saves.
With the loss, the Bruins dipped to 11-3-2, while the Red Wings moved to 5-12-1.
Here’s how it all went down:
RED WINGS TAKE LEAD
Boston needed just 1:09 to get the scoring started.
Peter Cehlarik showed tremendous patience with the puck and found Krejci who sniped it top corner past Bernier to make it 1-0.
But the Red Wings answered back just 1:32 later when the speedy Dylan Larkin went behind Boston’s net for the wraparound bid, but the puck bounced off the skate of Patrice Bergeron and by Rask to tie things up at 1-1.
Pastrnak tried to break the tie with a sweet 360 move, but Bernier was able to make the save and it would later be the Red Wings who would go up 2-1 with 8:11 left in the opening 20 minutes.
Brad Marchand was called for interference and Robby Fabbri cashed in with his goal for Detroit on a one-timer from the slot.
The B’s went on the man-advantage when Danton Heinen drew a holding call. Boston got some quality scoring opportunities but could not capitalize as the Bruins went into the second period down 2-1.
Each team had 12 shots apiece.
PENALTY AFTER PENALTY
It was all Detroit to begin the second period.
Boston, who usually is near perfect on the penalty kill, gave up its second goal when Pastrnak went to the box for hooking. Fabbri eventually potted his second power-play goal of the night to make it 3-1.
The Black and Gold killed off Krug’s delay of game penalty and had a chance to cut into Detroit’s lead when Larkin was whistled for tripping. But the B’s were, once again, unable to find the back of the net.
Things got chippy toward the midway part of the period when Marchand and Filip Hronek dropped the gloves with one another behind play. Both were assessed five-minute majors for fighting.
Boston killed its second penalty of the period after Krejci went off for roughing. Detroit amassed five shots on goal in those two minutes, but Rask stood on his head during that stretch. The B’s then went on the power play with 4:04 left in the second and connected when Krug let a slapshot rip to make it 3-2.
Pastrnak looked destined to tie the game up when Marchand went cross-ice to his wide-open teammate but was robbed on an amazing save by Bernier.
The B’s held a slim 24-22 shot advantage after 40 minutes.
RED WINGS SEAL IT
Boston went on the power play early in the third and had some prime scoring chances, including one that hit the crossbar, but the team was unable to knot the game at three.
Anthony Mantha put the nail in the coffin with an empty-net goal with 1:28 remaining to make it 4-2.
UP NEXT
Boston heads back home for a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m. ET.
