By DAN SCIFO Related Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brad Marchand scored short-handed to cap Boston’s four-goal second interval, and the Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 on Saturday evening.
Pavel Zacha had a purpose and an help, and Jake DeBrusk, Kevin Shattenkirk, Danton Heinen and Morgan Geekie additionally scored because the Bruins regained the highest spot within the Atlantic Division with their fifth win in six video games. Linus Ullmark completed with 28 saves.
“I didn’t suppose we got here out with lots of emotion,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery mentioned. “I believed (Pittsburgh) got here out very determined they usually have been the higher workforce. Second interval, I believed we bought to our sport.”
Michael Bunting scored twice, Drew O’Connor had a purpose and an help, and Bryan Rust additionally scored for the Penguins, who misplaced in regulation for the primary time in 11 video games (7-1-3). Alex Nedeljkovic was pulled after giving up three objectives on 16 photographs halfway by the second interval. He was changed by Tristan Jarry, who stopped 12 of the 14 photographs he confronted.
The Penguins fell out of the second wild card within the Jap Convention and now path Washington, Detroit and Philadelphia by one level.
“We knew this was a tricky stretch,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan mentioned. “We knew it was going to be a tricky one in opposition to top-of-the-line groups within the league. No matter how this goes, we nonetheless have two extra video games to play.”
After O’Connor scored short-handed for Pittsburgh at 4:32 of the third to chop the deficit to 4-3, Geekie bought his seventeenth of the season with 5:50 left to revive a two-goal lead.
Heinen added an empty-net purpose with 2:47 remaining to seal the Bruins’ win.
“Clearly, (Pittsburgh) is preventing for his or her lives,” DeBrusk mentioned. “There have been some momentum shifts. We capitalized on our possibilities.”
Boston bought rebound objectives from DeBrusk and Zacha 14 seconds aside within the second interval to take a 2-0 lead at 8:22. Zacha’s purpose was his twentieth and DeBrusk bought his nineteenth.
Rust minimize Pittsburgh’s deficit in half when he redirected O’Connor’s move behind Ullmark 2:05 later for his career-high twenty eighth.
Boston regained its two-goal benefit as Shattenkirk — again after lacking three video games as a wholesome scratch — chased Nedeljkovic from the sport with 8:25 left within the second for his sixth.
Marchand scored a short-handed purpose on the primary shot Jarry confronted, giving Boston a 4-1 lead with 5:06 left within the center interval.
Nonetheless, Bunting scored on the ability play from the highest of the crease 58 seconds later to get the Penguins to 4-2.
“We scored sufficient to win,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby mentioned. “It was only a matter of limiting their possibilities. We gave them a while and house they usually have some expert guys that can make you pay they usually did that tonight.”
Penguins D Erik Karlsson grew to become the 398th participant in NHL historical past, and forty sixth lively, to skate in 1,000 profession video games. Karlsson, who cut up his profession between Ottawa, San Jose and Pittsburgh, is the 18th Swedish-born participant to achieve the milestone and he has 814 profession factors, ninth-most by a defenseman.
Throughout pregame warmups, the Penguins all wore Karlsson’s No. 65 jersey. Earlier than the sport, Karlsson, on the ice along with his household, was introduced a silver hockey stick and different presents commemorating the accomplishment and a video tribute aired with feedback from Daniel Alfredsson, Joe Thornton and others.
UP NEXT
Bruins: Go to Washington on Monday evening.
Penguins: Host Nashville on Monday evening.
___
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
