The Boston Bruins started a busy schedule stretch with a frustrating defeat at the hands of the New Jersey Devils in a 5-1 loss Wednesday night at Prudential Center.

Boston moved to 23-20-6 while New Jersey moved to 27-17-6.

Morgan Geekie got the Bruins on the board first with a well-timed shot in the opening six minutes of the game. That good start quickly evaporated before a nightmare second period.

New Jersey had all the shots, all the opportunities and all the goals. Boston allowed two power-play goals after a series of penalties that drew unpleased reactions from the visitors in the Garden State. The Devils scored four goals in the middle period, including goals three and four in a span of 12 seconds off the sticks of Stefan Noesen and Dawson Mercer. Mercer bookended the period with a pair of scores while former Bruin Dougie Hamilton lit the lamp that put the Devils in front.

While the unit didn’t exactly land in ideal situations after the contested calls, Boston’s 22nd-ranked penalty kill struggled again in the disastrous second period against New Jersey. The Devils took control and outshot the Bruins 35-23 on the night when Boston could not embrace an opportunistic brand in the offensive zone.

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Boston head coach Joe Sacco lifted Swayman after 40 minutes in favor of Joonas Korpisalo, who the Devils beat for another power-play goal in the final period.

The regulation loss is the first for the Bruins since Jan. 9 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and dropped the team to 9-13-3 on the road this season.

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The Bruins finish a back-to-back and continue a stretch of three games in four days Thursday night against the Ottawa Senators. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET from TD Garden. You can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.

Featured image via Ed Mulholland/Imagn Images